LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


1.    WM.  A.  F.  STOCKTON,  Captain  2.    ALEXANDER  SWEENEY,  First  lieutenant 

3.     WM.  B.  COOK,  Second  lieutenant  4.     BEN.  F.  POWELSON,  First  Sergeant 

(Photos  taken  Time  of  Service) 


HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K 


OF  THE 


140th  Regiment  Perm 
sylvania  Volunteers. 

(1862--'65.) 

By  B.  F.  POWELSON, 

(First  Sergeant  for  Over  Two  Years.) 
UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF 

BREVET  CAPT.  ALECK  SWEENEY 

And  with  the  Co-operation  of  Others  of  the  Company. 


STEUBENVILLE,  OHIO: 

THE  CARNAHAN  PRINTING  COMPANY. 

1906. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


DEDICATION. 


|HIS  little  volume  is,  with  loving  remembrances  and  in  truest 
affection,  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  Company  K's  dead 
and  living,  whose  worth  as  volunteer  soldiers,  whose  courage, 
devotion,  fidelity,  sacrifice,  valor  and  efficiency  were  proven  in  many 
a  long  and  difficult  march,  and  in  many  a  hard-fought  battle,  as  well 
as  by  their  return,  when  the  glorious  work  of  preserving  the  Union 
had  been  accomplished,  to  the  pursuit  of  commendable  avocations  in 
days  of  peace  and  prosperity,  worthy  indeed  of  the  honor  a  grateful 
nation  accords  them,  as  an  integral  parf  of  the  color-guard  of  its 
patriotism. 


I,ate  Photo  of  B.  F.  POWELSON 
The  Company  Historian 


PREFACE. 


The  bulk  of  what  is  contained  in  this  book  was  written  with  a  view  to  its 
forming  a  part  of  a  book  of  the  History  of  the  1 40th  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers.  At  the  annual  reunion  of  this  regiment  at  Beaver,  Pa.,  in  1 903, 
it  was  decided  to  issue  such  a  book  of  history  under  a  regimental  historian,  with 
each  company  furnishing  its  individual  part  thereto,  in  such  facts  as  pertained  to 
any  separate  part  as  played  in  that  dreadful  war  drama  by  a  company,  part  of 
a  company,  or  by  an  individual  therein.  This  was  in  accord  with  an  expressed 
demand  for  the  placing  of  the  regiment's  heroic  deeds  and  illustrious  works  in 
heroic-  record,  so  that  the  soldier's  friends  and  successors  may  ever  have  these 
before  them,  an  inspiration  and  incentive  to  the  continued  progress  of  their 
country,  through  a  faithful,  devoted,  loyal  citizenship. 

But  after  more  than  two  years  have  elapsed,  it  is  found  that  but  few  com 
panies  have  done  their  work  and  no  one  has  been  secured  to  serve  for  the 
regiment.  And  as  Co.  K.  has  for  some  time  practically  had  its  work  done, 
and  as  much  time  and  means  have  been  required,  and  there  is  danger  through 
death  or  other  untoward  event  that  what  has  been  done  may  be  lost,  the  com 
pany  has  concluded  to  publish  a  book  for  itself,  and  to  give  a  copy  of  this 
book  to  the  regiment,  so  as  thus  to  provide  Co.  K's  part  to  the  history  of  the 
regiment,  whenever  the  Book  of  History,  as  at  first  proposed,  can  be  issued. 
The  earnest  desire  of  our  company  is  that  the  Regimental  History  will  yet  be 
issued,  and  it  stands  ready  still  to  do  its  part  towards  the  same. 

B.  F.  POWELSON. 
Boulder,  Colo.,  January  2,   1906. 


CONTENTS: 


1.  Dedication , 2 

2.  Preface 3 

3.  Cursory  Statement  Concerning  the  Regiment 5 

4.  General  History  of  the  Company 10 

5.  Sketches  of  Those  Who  Have  Died  Since  the  War  ....  46 

6.  Sketches  of  Those  Living 57 

7.  Recapitulation  of  Battles,  Casualties,  Etc 72 

8.  Conclusion 77 


Cursory  Statement  Concerning  the  Regiment 


It  seems  fitting  that  a  cursory  view  be  taken  of  the  services 
performed  by  the  Regiment  so  that  what  is  written  as  the  History 
of  Co.  K  may  be  understood  and  not  seem  to  be  too  much  isolated. 
Perhaps  this  can  be  subserved  by  a  swift  following  of  the  itinerancy 
of  the  Regiment,  by  giving  the  list  of,  and  some  reference  to  the 
battles  and  skirmishes  fought,  and  by  a  summary  of  casualties. 

Among  the  many  organizations  in  Pennsylvania  volunteer 
soldiery  during  the  Civil  War,  none  stood  higher  in  efficiency  in 
service  or  brilliancy  in  record  than  the  One  Hundred  and  Fortieth 
Regiment,  five  companies  of  which  were  recruited  in  Washington 
county,  three  in  Beaver,  one  in  Mercer  and  one  in  Greene.  Col. 
R.  P.  Roberts,  of  Beaver,  killed  at  Gettysburg,  was  its  first  Colonel. 
W.  S.  Shallenberger,  now  Second  Assistant  Postmaster  General, 
was  its  efficient  Adjutant.  This  Regiment  is  accredited  with  the 
highest  per  cent  of  casualties  in  action  of  all  the  regiments  enlisted 
in  Pennsylvania.  It  stands  fourth  in  this  respect  in  the  entire  army 
during  that  fearful  war  in  the  '6os. 

Upon  its  organization,  at  Harrisburg,  Sept.  8,  1862,  the  Regi 
ment  was  stationed  for  three  months  on  the  Northern  Central  R.  R. 
with  headquarters  at  Parkton,  Md.  And  there,  while  on  important 
guard  duty,  it  was  carefully  drilled  and  schooled  for  military 
service.  Then  the  Regiment,  on  Dec.  10,  '62,  was  ordered  to  the 
front.  On  the  evening  of  Dec.  1 3th,  it  marched  out  of  Washington, 
D.  C.,  crossing  bridge  over  East  Branch.  The  route  was  on  the 
Maryland  side,  through  Piscataway  to  Liverpool  Point,  from  which 
we  crossed  on  a  transport  vessel  to  Aquia  Creek  landing,  and  thence 
we  marched  to  Falmouth,  Va.  One  week  was  consumed  in  the 
marching,  and  the  Regiment  stood  well  the  test.  Then  into  winter 
quarters,  an  integral  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  Regi- 


6  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

ment  is  assigned  to  Col.  Zook's  Brigade,  Gen.  Hancock's  Division, 
and  in  Maj.-Gen.  Sumner's  Right  Grand  Division. 

The  Regiment  had  its  baptism  of  blood  in  the  Battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville,  May  1-5,  '63,  withstanding  the  trying  ordeal  well. 
Back  in  camp,  near  Falmouth,  the  Regiment  was  skillfully  trimmed 
and  equipped  for  greater  service.  It  was  to  have  place  ever  after 
in  a  Corps,  whose  record  was  most  brilliant,  the  Second,  under 
command  of  the  gallant  Gen.  Hancock.  This  Corps  had  in  it  six 
of  the  nine  regiments  sustaining  the  greatest  numerical  loss  in 
killed  during  the  war,  aggregating  1848  out  of  the  2674  killed  in 
the  nine  regiments.  The  Regiment  was  in  the  First  Division,  Gen. 
Caldwell  commanding,  with  Gen.  Barlow  as  his  successor;  and  in 
the  3rd  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  Zook  commanding.  He  being  killed 
at  Gettysburg,  Gen.  Miles  came  in  command  of  the  Brigade.  In 
the  long  and  exciting  march  to  Gettysburg,  Centerville,  Gainsville, 
Edward's  Ferry,  the  Monococy  and  Uniontown,  Md.,  were  impor 
tant  points.  Uniontown  was  reached  by  forced  march — fully  35 
miles — by  whole  Corps  in  a  day;  and  our  Brigade,  on  July  1st, 
was  rear-guard  for  wagon  train,  most  of  the  30  miles  to  Gettys 
burg  being  made  in  the  night,  and,  exhausted,  we  went  on  the 
battle  line  on  left  center.  Eloquent  and  pathetic  was  the  record 
of  the  i4Oth  at  Gettysburg.  The  immediate  casualties  in  the  Regi 
ment  in  the  righting  on  the  evening  of  July  2,  '63,  amounted  to 
about  60  per  cent  of  the  number  engaged,  our  Lieutenant  Colonel, 
John  Fraser,  being  by  rank  in  command  of  Brigade  through  bal 
ance  of  the  conflict  at  Gettysburg.  Col.  Roberts  was  shot  while 
in  front  of  the  Regiment  to  direct  it  to  change  of  position  to  check, 
if  possible,  the  column  of  the  enemy  flanking  our  right.  Disastrous 
as  was  the  loss  of  our  brave  Colonel  at  such  a  time,  the  Regiment 
faltered  not  but  held  its  place  till  ordered  out.  The  Regiment  par 
ticipated  in  the  attempt  to  intercept  Gen.  Lee  before  he  could 
recross  the  Potomac,  the  route  taken  being  through  Frederick  City, 
reaching  Burkittsville  July  8th.  Near  the  vicinity  of  Williamsport 
we  came  in  touch  with  the  enemy,  and  on  the  I4th,  near  Falling 
Water,  we  took  part  in  engagement  with  the  rebel  rear-guard,  a 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  7 

goodly  number  of  them  being  captured.  Thence  our  route  led  us 
to  Harper's  Ferry,  across  on  i8th  to  London  Valley,  through  Hills- 
boro,  to  Snicker's  Gap,  to  Bloomfield  to  Ashby  Gap,  where  we  had 
skirmishing,  July  22nd;  then  passing  to  Linden  and  east  along 
railroad  to  White  Plains,  and  southward  to  Warrenton,  in  the 
vicinity  of  which  the  command  remained  several  days,  and,  passing 
on,  reached  Morrisville  July  3ist.  Participated  in  the  reconnoisance- 
in-force  at  the  U.  S.  Ford,  Aug.  3ist-Sept.  4th,  returning  to  Morris 
ville.  Crossed  over  the  Rappahannock  Sept.  I2th;  engaged  the 
enemy  at  Culpepper  C.  H. ;  pressed  on  to  the  Rapidan,  southwest 
of  Culpepper,  by  the  I7th,  where  considerable  maneuvering,  forti 
fying  and  fighting  were  done,  until  the  early  days  of  October,  when 
a  retrograde  movement  began.  October  nth  found  the  Regiment 
near  Bealton  Station,  north  of  the  Rappahannock.  Again  the  even 
ing  of  the  1 2th  found  us  well  into  the  open  country  south  of  the 
river ;  and  a  great  demonstration  was  made  by  campfires,  bands,  etc. 
But  to  no  purpose,  for  Lee  seemed  bent  on  an  attempt  to  dash  into 
Washington.  So  all  night  we  tramp,  crossing  the  river  for  the 
third  time.  Taking  the  flank  of  army,  we  pass  to  Auburn  Creek, 
sometime  in  the  night  of  I3th,  in  touch  with  the  enemy  most  of  time. 
Early  morning  of  I4th  came  the  engagement  on  Auburn  Hill,  our 
Regiment  being  in  rear-guard  of  the  Corps.  Over  to  Catletfs  Sta 
tion  by  noon ;  then  on  a  run  to  Bristor's  Station,  where  we  fought 
all  afternoon,  winning  a  neat  victory.  Thence  to  Bull  Run,  and 
to  Centerville  by  daylight  I5th.  Lee  foiled,  and  so  returns  south 
ward.  In  a  few  days  we  follow.  In  vicinity  of  Fayetteville  several 
days  are  spent.  Extensive  drilling  done.  The  7th  of  November 
finds  the  Regiment  near  the  Rappahannock,  east  of  the  O.  &  A. 
R.  R.  The  8th  we  are  at  Thorns,  south  of  the  river,  where  we 
remain  till  Nov.  24th.  Then  came  the  noted  movement  across 
the  cold  Rapidan,  and  the  Mine  Run  engagement,  Nov.  29-30,  with 
its  varied  experiences  and  rigorous  exposures,  and  return  to  north 
side,  and  going  into  winter  quarters  at  Stevensburg  Dec.  7th.  On 
Feb.  6,  '64,  the  Regiment  took  part  in  the  reconnoisance-in-force 
at  Morton's  Ford  on  Rapidan. 


8  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

May  3rd  found  the  whole  army  on  the  move.  The  Regiment, 
crossing  the  Rapidan  at  Ely's  Ford,  plunged  into  the  Wilderness, 
and  at  once  found  the  Johnnies  plentiful,  but  held  them  level.  In 
battle  of  Todd's  Tavern  May  8th.  Engaged  the  enemy  on  loth 
and  nth  west  and  southwest  of  Spottsylvania  C.  H.  Then  came 
the  march  in  dark  and  rainy  night,  and  at  earliest  dawn  on  the  I2th 
that  most  brilliant  charge  of  whole  Corps  and  wholesale  capture  of 
the  garrison  of  the  salient.  Here  the  i4Oth  lost  52  in  killed,  while 
at  Gettysburg  the  killed  numbered  61. 

In  this  charge  Gen.  N.  A.  Miles  had  command  of  the  1st  Bri 
gade,  ist  Division.  The  i4Oth  was  a  part  of  this  Brigade,  and  of  the 
Regiment  he  then  and  ever  after  spoke  well.  Gen.  Miles,  the  lines 
having  been  formed  for  the  charge,  sent  his  horse  to  the  rear,  and, 
placing  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Brigade,  led  it  in  the  charge.  And 
he  and  members  of  his  staff  testify  that  the  i/j-Oth  was  the  first  Regi 
ment  to  enter  the  rebel  works.  And  we  deem  it  worthy  to  be  here 
recorded  that,  when  the  Second  Corps  marched  back  through  the 
vicinity  of  this  battle,  after  the  surrender  of  Lee,  Gen.  Miles  claimed 
the  stump  of  the  tree,  cut  down  by  the  dreadful  rain  of  the  missiles 
of  war  in  that  "bloody  angle"  at  Spottsylvania,  and  took  it.  And 
Capt.  Sweeney,  then  on  his  staff,  by  order  conveyed  it  to  Washing 
ton  and  turned  it  over  to  Secretary  Stanton  with  Gen.  Miles'  compli 
ments.  This  stump  is  now  encased  in  glass  among  the  war  relics  at 
Washington  City. 

Grant's  "fighting  it  out  on  that  line"  took  the  Regiment  on 
through  Bowling  Green,  Milford,  to  North  Anna  river,  and  across 
it,  where  the  enemy  is  given  battle,  near  Hanover  Junction,  May 
23-26.  River  is  re-crossed  for  another  flank  movement,  and  the 
i4Oth  plods  on  to  near  Hanovertown,  where  again  it  crosses  the 
river,  and  at  Totopotomy  Creek  engages  the  enemy,  May  29-31, 
where  the  brave  McCollough,  commanding,  fell.  At  Cold  Harbor 
for  days  the  fight  goes  on,  and  the  i4Oth  suffers  many  casualties. 
Then  Grant  chose  to  plant  his  army  south  of  the  James,  and  on 
June  1 3th  the  Regiment  crossed  the  Chicahoming'  at  Jones'  Bridge, 
and  with  some  skirmishing  about  Charles  City  found  itself  on  the 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  9 

1 4th  south  of  the  James;  and  on  the  I5th  was  in  the  engagement 
in  front  of  Petersburg.  We  held  position  for  a  while  on  the  Jeru 
salem  plank  road.  On  July  27th  occurred  our  engagement  with 
the  enemy  at  Deep  Bottom,  north  side  of  the  James.  Then  the 
return  to  a  place  in  the  line  east  of  Petersburg,  where  we  wrought 
much  on  the  defenses.  Again,  on  Aug.  I2th,  via  City  Point  and 
transports,  the  i4<Dth  finds  itself  in  Deep  Bottom,  and  fought  the 
enemy  on  the  flank,  while  the  5th  Corps  broke  the  enemy's  grip  on 
the  Welden  R.  R.  Then  withdrawing  in  a  tedious  night  march  we 
get  back  to  our  camp.  But  we  set  out  at  once  south  along  the 
Welden  R.  R.  till  we  reach  Ream's  Station.  There  miles  of  track 
are  destroyed.  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps  appear  to  drive  us  off.  A  sharp 
conflict  wages  through  afternoon  of  Aug.  25th.  In  the  shades  we 
stole  back  and  took  position  on  the  railroad  south  of  Petersburg 
and  fortify.  In  that  position  the  fall  and  winter  are  spent,  with 
occasional  diversions.  There  was  the  engagement  at  Hatcher's 
Run  latter  part  of  October,  another  one  Dec.  loth,  and  the  Dab- 
ney's  Mill  on  Feb.  6th,  '65,  constant  vigilance  not  allowing  the 
enemy  any  rest. 

The  final  campaign  opening,  the  i4Oth  was  constantly  in  touch 
with  the  enemy  from  March  25th  till  Lee's  surrender,  the  special 
engagements  being  at  Sutherland  Station  April  2nd;  Jettersville, 
the  5th;  Sailor's  Creek,  6th;  and  Farmville,  the  7th.  The  route 
was  directly  on  line  of  retreat  of  Lee's  army.  The  i4Oth  was  on 
skirmish  line  covering  road  into  Appomattox  C.  H.  the  morning  of 
April  Qth,  the  time  of  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Virginia. 

The  Regiment  encamped  at  Burkville  from  April  I3th  to  April 
3<Dth.  Was  at  Amelia  C.  H.,  May  2nd.  And,  passing  through 
Richmond  and  on  through  Fredericksburg,  the  i4Oth  ended  its  long 
route  of  marching  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  May  23,  '65,  from  which 
it  had  set  out  Dec.  13,  '62,  having  marched  an  aggregate  of  1108 
miles,  and  having  taken  part  in  22  distinct  battles,  nine  marked 
skirmishes  and  several  reconnoisances-in-force.  The  battles  were 
in  duration  from  six  hours  to  five  days.  With  a  total  enrollment 
of  1132,  198  were  killed  in  action  and  128  died  in  service.  The 


io  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

wounded    numbered    537.     The    total    casualties    were    about    850. 
There  were  present  at  the  muster-out  on  May  31,  '65,  295. 

On  the  disbanding  of  the  Regiment,  its  citizen  soldiery  again 
took  their  places  in  institutions  of  learning,  offices,  shops,  stores,  or 
on  farms,  or  represented  their  constiuents  in  places  of  trust,  content 
that  they  had  done  their  duty  in  saving  the  country,  and  rejoicing 
in  seeing  it  rise  in  worth  and  influence  to  highest  rank  among  the 
nations  of  the  world. 


General  History  of  Company  K. 

Company  K's  special  part  of  this  History  of  the  i4Oth  Regi 
ment,  P.  V.,  is  furnished  by  Ben.  F.  Powelson,  who  was  Orderly 
Sergeant  of  the  Company  for  over  two  years,  under  the  direction 
of  First  Lieut.  Alex.  Sweeney,  the  only  surviving  commissioned 
officer,  with  his  assistance  and  the  aid  and  co-operation  of  other 
members. 

This  Company  was  principally  made  up  of  young  men  from 
the  strenuous  walks  of  life,  out  of  good  Christian  homes,  largely 
intelligent  sons  of  husbandry,  and  not  a  few  having  been  or  being 
hard-working  students  in  academy,  college,  or  theological  seminary, 
thus  possessing  the  fundamental  qualifications  for  good  military 
service.  Possibly  it  had  as  small  a  ratio  of  men  unfit  for  such 
service  as  any  called  out  to  do  duty  in  the  '6os.  A  few  there  were, 
of  course,  who  were  carried  in  by  the  tide  of  excitement  or  selfish 
interest,  without  much  consideration,  but  most,  nearly  all  of  the 
members,  entered  through  due  reflection,  true  courage  and  definite 
conviction. 

Much  of  K's  history  will  appear  in  the  History  of  the  Regiment, 
for  in  general  this  company  shared  with  other  companies  the  move 
ments  and  service  of  the  Regiment.  It  is  only  the  purpose  of  this 
writing  to  treat  of  what  pertains  specially  to  the  record  of  indi 
viduals  composing  the  company  and  of  what  was  peculiar  to  the 
company,  or  in  which  it  was  affected  personally  or  as  a  unit  of 
service. 


I4OTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  n 

This  Company  was  recruited  during  the  month  of  August, 
1862,  in  Washington  county,  Pa.,  under  the  call  for  300,000  volun 
teers.  It  was  of  a  composite  nature,  formed  of  squads  and  indi 
viduals  from  different  parts  of  the  county,  though  the  largest 
constituency  was  from  the  north-western  part,  with  Cross  Creek 
as  the  center;  and  in  consequence  of  this  it  was  frequently  called 
the  Cross  Creek  Company.  Wm.  A.  F.  Stockton,  son  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  John  Stockton,  pastor  of  Cross  Creek  Presbyterian  Church,  was 
engaged  sometime  in  recruiting  in  this  region,  intent  on  raising  a 
company.  He  was  assisted  by  B.  F.  Powelson,  his  classmate  for 
years,  and  by  others.  Meetings  were  held  in  Cross  Creek,  Bur- 
gettstown,  Eldersville,  Paris,  Candor  and  other  places.  One  meet 
ing  in  Cross  Creek  Village  was  attended  and  addressed  by  Dr. 
Wishart  and  Messrs.  A.  and  David  Acheson,  of  Washington,  the 
county  seat.  Twenty-three  enlisted  from  Cross  Creek,  the  first 
eleven  being  sworn  in  by  'Squire  Duncan  on  Aug.  16.  Those  re 
cruited  in  Paris,  in  the  extreme  northwest  section  of  the  county, 
footed  up  20.  A  squad  of  seven  enlisted  in  Candor,  under  the 
supervision  of  Wm.  B.  Cook.  Seven  hailed  from  the  neighborhood 
of  Millsboro,  while  four  others  came  in  from  other  places  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county.  Claysville  furnished  a  squad  of  nine. 
And  quite  a  number  came  in  from  the  Finley,  Morris  and  Donegal 
Townships.  Alex.  Sweeney,  Jr.,  had  been  out  in  Claysville  and 
West  Alexander  in  that  region  on  a  recruiting  tour.  He  and 
Enoch  Mounts  represented  the  county  seat. 

Those  recruited  in  Cross  Creek,  Eldersville,  Paris  and  Candor, 
or  the  Northwest,  fifty-five  in  number,  came  together  on  August 
2Oth  at  Cross  Creek  village,  where  a  large  concourse  of  people  assem 
bled  and  gave  them  a  hearty  repast  and  reception.  Thence,  after 
taking  leave  of  relatives  and  friends,  they  were  conveyed  by  neigh 
bors,  in  wagons  and  other  vehicles,  sixteen  miles  to  the  county  seat ; 
and  there  they  for  a  while  went  into  camp,  using  for  quarters  the 
halls  of  the  old  Fair  Grounds,  now  the  Athletic  Grounds  of  Wash 
ington  and  Jefferson  College.  Here  all  the  recruits  were  rendez 
voused,  and  they  were  kindly  and  patriotically  treated  by  the  citizens 


12  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

of  Washington,  who  opened  their  homes  and  in  many  ways  gave 
comfort  and  cheer. 

On  the  22nd  of  August  the  formal  organization  of  the  Company 
was  effected,  ninety-six  entered  their  names  on  the  Company  roll. 
An  election  of  officers  was  held,  resulting  as  follows :  Japtain,  Win. 
A.  F.  Stockton ;  First  Lieutenant,  Alexander  Sweeney,  Jr. ;  and 
Second  Lieutenant,  Wm.  B.  Cook.  The  non-commissioned  officers 
were  in  the  main  determined  upon,  Geo.  W.  McConnell  was  entered 
as  musician,  and  the  members  of  the  Company  began  to  assume 
military  airs  and  were  ready  for  orders  to  go  forward  to  active  ser 
vice,  and  these  orders  quickly  came.  Four  other  Companies,  re 
cruited  in  Washington  county,  were  known  to  be  ready  for  assign 
ment  to  some  Regiment.  Orders  came  for  the  Company  to  proceed 
at  once  to  Camp  Distribution,  in  old  Oakland  Fair  Grounds  near 
Pittsburg.  The  journey  to  Pittsburg  was  rather  an  ovation.  The 
enlisted  were  taken  in  conveyances  by  way  of  the  old  turnpike,  many 
of  their  friends  accompanying  them  the  whole  or  part  of  the  way. 
A  halt  for  dinner  was  made  at  Canonsburg,  where  the  citizens  en 
tertained  the  Company  in  royal  style.  Their  loyalty  and  enthusiasm 
had  a  true  ring,  for  they  had  a  Company  ready  to  go  into  service. 
(This  Company  became  Co.  G,  of  the  i4Oth  P.  V.,  and  furnished 
the  Lieut.  Colonel).  Camp  Distribution  was  reached  without  mis 
hap,  and  there  the  Company  was  partially  equipped.  And  the  ninety- 
six  men  were  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  as 
Volunteer  Infantry,  for  three  years  or  during  the  war,  by  Capt. 
Ludington,  on  the  4th  day  of  September,  1862. 

The  names  and  places  of  residence  are  as  follows : 

No.  Names.  Residence. 

1.  William  A.  F.  Stockton,  Captain Cross  Creek 

2.  Alexander  Sweeney,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant Washington 

3.  William  B.  Cook,  Second  "  Candor 

4.  Benjamin  F.  Powelson,  First  Sergeant Cross  Creek 

5.  Milton  R.  Boyd,  Second  "         _ _ Claysville 

6.  Edward  S.  Alexander,  Third          "         West  Alexander 

7.  Thomas  C.  Hayes,  Fourth  "         Cross  Creek 

8.  Samuel  K.  Shindle,  Fifth  " 

9.  Silas  Cooke,  First  Corporal „ " 


I4OTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  13 

10.  John  D.  McCabe,  Second  Corporal Paris 

11.  Isaac  Donaldson,  Third  "        Candor 

12.  William  R.  H.  Powelson,  Fourth  Corporal Cross  Creek 

13.  George  Ralston,  Fifth  Corporal Donegal  Twp. 

14.  William  L.  Pry,  Sixth        "        ....Cross  Creek 

15.  John  F.  Gardner,  Seventh  Corporal Paris 

16.  William  Hanlin,  Eighth  "        

17.  George  W.  McCounell,  Musician * 

18.  Allison,  James  B.,  Private Claysville 

19.  Andrews,  Abram,         "      - Cross  Creek 

20.  "        Peter  "     " 

21.  Arthur,  James,  " _ Paris 

22.  Berryhill,  James  S.,     "    Private Cross  Creek 

23.  Briggs,  Lazarus,  "         *'       Dunningsville 

24.  Buchanan,  Benjamin  B.,       "       Paris 

25.  Butterf oss,  Daniel  J.,  "       " 

26.  Carter,  George  W.,  "       - - Millsboro 

27.  "      Jesse  M.,  "      

28.  "      Thomas  J., 

29.  Chester,  Andrew,  "       - Dunningsville 

30.  Chisholm,  Isaac  W.,  "       ..Candor 

31.  Cochran,  James  E.,  "       - Paris 

32.  Conaway,  Ezra,  "       _'. Millsboro 

33.  Corbin,  David  W.,  "      _ Cross  Creek 

34  "       Toseoh  A  "  " 

Ul.  j  v^o^j-f-u.    •*>*>•) 

35.  Cummins,  Benjamin  H.,      "      

36.  Daugherty,  Michael,  "       West  Alexander 

37.  Davis,  Andrew  B.,  "       Paris 

38.  Day,  John  M.,  "       Morris  Twp. 

39.  Dickson,  Henry,  "       „„ Dunningsville 

40.  Dungan,  Robert  B.,  "       Cross  Creek 

41.  Earnest,  Benjamin  F.,  "       Claysville 

42.  Fordyce,  James  H.,  "      " 

43.  Frazier,  Joseph  C. ,  "      „..  West  Alexander 

44.  Fulton,  John,  "      Paris 

45.  Gardner,  George,  "      _ " 

46.  Geary,  William  M.,  "      Candor 

47.  Golden,  Isaac,  "      West  Alexander 

48.  Graham,  Joseph  Smith,         "       _ Cross  Creek 

49.  Guess,  Joseph,  "      West  Alexander 

50.  Hanlin,  George  A.,  <%       ..Paris 

61.  Hawthorn,  Benjamin  F.,      " Millsboro 

52.  Henderson,  John,  "      Paris 

53.  Hull,  Robert  W.,  "       " 

54.  Johnson,  George  W.,  "      _ East  Finley 

55.  Lyle,  Robert,  "      Cross  Creek 

56.  "    James  C.,  "      u 

57.  McCalmont,  John  A.,  "       _ Candor 

58.  McClurg,  Robert,  "      Paris 

59.  McConnell,  Harrison,          "  " 


HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 


60.  McCullough,  Benjamin, 

61 .  McCurdy,  James  K. , 

62.  McElfish,  Owen, 

63.  Magill,  James  K.  P., 

64.  Makeown,  John. 

65.  Maloy,  John, 

66.  Marshall,  John, 

67.  Meldoon,  Robert, 

68.  Metcalf,  Norris, 

69.  Miller,  William  H., 

70.  Miller,  Isaac, 

71.  Morris,  Jesse  J., 

72.  Morrow,  George, 

73.  Mounts,  Enoch, 

74.  Nicheson,  Colin  R., 

75.  "         JohnW., 

76.  Noah,  James  I,., 

77.  Noble,  Thomas  L., 

78.  Porter,  William, 

79.  Pry,  David  McClurg, 

80.  "     RebertA., 

81.  Rea,  William, 

82.  Ruffner,  William  A., 

83.  Scott,  Henderson, 

84.  "      William, 

85.  Seese,  Nathaniel, 

86.  Sprowls,  George, 

87.  "         Jesse  M., 

88.  Staley,  Oliver, 

89.  Star.  George, 

90.  Stellar,  William. 

91.  Toppin,  Johnson, 

92.  Virtue,  Robert, 

93.  Wheeler,  Ulysses, 

94.  Wilkins,  Thomas, 

95.  Worstell,  James, 

96.  Wright,  Marshall, 


Private Candor 

' '      Eldersville 

' '       West  Finley 

• '       Cross  Creek 

' '       West  Alexander 

11 Donegal  Twp. 

"       Claysville 

West  Alexander 

_ Eldersville 

Donegal  Twp. 


Millsboro 

Paris 

Washington 
.....Claysville 


Eldersville 

Claysville 

.West  Alexander 
....Cross  Creek 


.Mound  City 
...  Paris 


...Eldersville 

Candor 

.  East  Finley 


....West  Alexander 


Claysville 

Millsboro 

....  Cross  Creek 

Eldersville 

Cross  Creek 

Paris 


Thence  by  cars  on  the  Pennsylvania  Central  R.  R.,  from  Pitts- 
burg,  with  other  Companies,  this  Company  was  taken  to  Camp  Cur- 
tin,  Harrisburg,  where  it  became  an  integral  part  of  the  i4Oth  Regi 
ment  of  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  at  the  organization  of  same,  Sep 
tember  8th,  1862,  and  received  the  designation  of  Co.  K,  its  position 
in  line  being  the  center  of  left  wing.  (A.  F.  D.  I.  C.  H.  E.  K.  G.  B). 
Here  the  Company  was  fully  equipped,  and  the  few  days  of  bivouac 
on  the  beautiful  Susquehanna  were  characterized  by  the  making  of 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  15 

us  full  fledged  soldiers  in  the  Union  army,  the  first  taste  of  camp 
life,  and  a  number  of  refreshing  baths  in  the  river. 

On  the  Regiment's  being  assigned  to  the  guarding  of  the  N.  C. 
R.  R.,  south  of  York,  Pa.,  Co.  K  was  stationed  at  Monkton,  Md., 
about  six  miles  south  and  distant  from  Parkton  Md.,  "Camp 
Seward,"  the  headquarters  of  the  Regiment.  It  had  several  miles  of 
railroad  to  guard,  the  chief  point  being  a  bridge  about  three  miles 
below  Monkton.  Its  quarters  were  dubbed  "Ambolin  Barracks,'* 
consisting  of  a  bunk  building  of  two  stories,  with  a  shed  room  at 
tached  as  officers'  quarters,  and  a  cook  house.  A  flag  pole  stood  in 
front  of  the  barracks  from  which  "Old  Glory"  floated  gracefully. 
The  sergeants,  a  train  of  freight  cars  having  been  wrecked  a  short 
time  after  our  being  located  there,  resurrected  a  box  car  which  had 
been  thrown  down  an  embankment,  and  thus  improvised  independ 
ent  quarters  for  themselves,  near  the  main  building. 

On  October  I3th  the  non-commissioned  officers,  as  appointed  by 
the  Captain  on  the  organization  of  the  Company,  received  their  cer 
tificates. 

The  period  of  duty  here  covered  three  months,  the  Company 
participating  in  all  the  Regimental  drills,  inspections,  etc.,  marching 
to  and  from  Parkton  on  the  railroad  tracks.  The  time  was  well  put 
in,  in  drilling,  and  in  the  usual  routine  of  barrack  duties.  Nothing 
occurred  to  mar  the  good  name  of  the  Company.  The  people  of  the 
vicinity  were  kind  and  considerate,  and  they  respected  the  members 
of  Co.  K  as  gentlemen.  The  homes  and  assemblies  of  the  people 
were  open  to  them.  Many  things  occurred  to  render  the  service  here 
a  pleasant  one.  The  corn  husking  and  big  dinner  at  Bacon's  planta 
tion,  the  barn-floor  husking  and  repast  at  Quaker  Matthews',  with 
his  many  favors  to  the  guard  at  the  lower  bridge,  and  like  recog 
nitions,  were  greatly  enjoyed  by  all  who  were  privileged  to  partici 
pate.  The  soldier's  plain  fare  was  abundantly  supplemented  by  the 
DiffendafTer's  meals  at  from  10  cents  and  upwards,  with  the  luscious 
apple  dumplings  and  peach  cobblers  with  unstinted  measure  of  rich 
cream.  Even  now  our  mouths  water  as  we  think  of  those  baked 
apple  dumplings  and  richest  of  cream !  And  as  Corporal  Cook  has 


1 6  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

written,  "Where  is  the  one  who,  when  on  guard  at  the  upper  bridge, 
does  not  even  yet  have  a  sneaking  feeling  creep  over  him  when  he 
remembers  the  old  Frenchman's  peach  orchard,  and  the  stuffed 
haversacks  that  got  over  the  back  fence  in  some  way  and  were  found 
at  the  guard  station  ?"  And  no  one  in  Co.  K  was  the  worse  off  if  a 
few  sacks  of  oysters  were  taken  from  the  car  with  broken  truck, 
side-tracked  for  a  day  or  two;  for  that  savory  article  of  diet  was 
just  "too  tempting,"  when  the  early  November  snow  banks  afforded 
so  good  and  safe  cold  storage.  Even  the  Captain  enjoyed  the  extra 
diet,  and  suggested  that  "no  trace  be  left  behind."  And  there  was 
none.  For  a  tracer,  sent  out  when  a  shortage  was  reported  in  Har~ 
risburg,  found  none. 

Several  of  us,  too,  remember  very  gratefully  the  little  church  up 
in  the  woods,  and  that  one  east  of  Monkton,  whereto  occasionally  we 
turned  our  footsteps.  Those  days  of  soldiering  had  much  of  sun 
shine  in  them,  which  lightened  materially  the  burden  of  a  rigorous 
but  useful  military  discipline.  While  here  the  Company  was  directed 
by  special  order  to  serve  as  guard  of  honor  in  the  burial  of  Gen. 
Dixon  S.  Miles,  mortally  wounded  at  the  surrender  of  Harper's 
Ferry,  Sept.  15,  1862,  whose  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  church 
cemetery  a  few  miles  east  of  Monkton.  About  the  same  time,  too, 
our  hearts  were  fired  a  little  for  more  stirring  service  by  the  distant 
booming  of  cannon  on  the  battlefield  of  Antietam. 

Several  of  K  were  subjected  to  the  ravages  of  fever  prevail 
ing  here  in  the  Regiment  and  incident  to  exposure  and  some  lack  in 
sanitary  provisions.  Silas  Cooke,  James  C.  Lyle,  Thomas  Wilkin, 
Wm.  Porter,  John  Henderson,  A.  B.  Davis  and  John  Marshall  tasted 
of  the  experiences  of  the  hospital  in  the  old  stone  church  at  Parkton. 
John  Marshall  was  the  first  of  the  Company's  losses.  While  in 
Parkton  for  drill  and  inspection  he  was  badly  hurt  in  going  between 
two  cars,  and  died  Nov.  I7th  in  the  Regimental  hospital  from  the 
injury  and  fever.  Two  others  of  the  Company  died  in  this  hospital : 
John  Henderson,  on  Dec.  7th,  and  Andrew  B.  Davis,  on  Dec.  Qth. 
The  name  of  Thomas  L.  Noble  was  dropped  from  our  roll,  he  being 
on  Nov.  28th  transferred  to  the  quartermaster's  department  by 


14-oTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  17 

special  order  from  Regimental  headquarters.  So,  when  the  order 
came  to  leave  for  the  army  in  the  field,  near  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  K's 
strength  numbered  but  92,  and  Silas  Cooke,  J.  C.  Lyle  and  Wm.  Por 
ter,  sick,  must  be  left  behind  in  hospital  at  Little  York,  Pa.  Our 
dead  had  been  sent  back  for  burial  in  their  home  burial  places. 
Good  soldiers  they  were,  though  they  never  saw  much  of  the  "grim 
visage"  of  war.  On  the  morning  of  the  loth  of  December  Co.  K  bid 
adieu  to  Monkton  and  marched  with  everything  to  Parkton,  Col. 
Roberts  having  received  orders  to  go  to  the  front,  the  transportation 
to  be  ready  that  evening.  It  was  with  some  feeling  of  regret  that  the 
members  of  K  left  Monkton,  for  they  had  become  attached  to  the 
place  and  people,  but  the  prospect  of  entering  into  more  active  and 
stirring  soldier  life  captivated  and  filled  everyone  with  enthusiasm, 
and  the  march  to  Parkton  was  made  amid  continuous  peals  of  glee 
and  cheerfulness.  And  so,  as  late  in  the  evening  the  train  passed 
down  through  Monkton,  the  generous  cheering  of  people  and  soldiers 
showed  how  strong  had  become  the  ties  of  friendship. 

Co.  K  shared  with  G  a  room  in  the  Union  Relief  Association 
building  in  Baltimore  the  night  of  the  loth.  At  night  on  the  nth, 
the  Regiment  was  crowded  in  old  freight  cars,  open  and  destitute 
of  arrangements  for  fire.  The  weather  was  cold,  and  the  whole 
night  was  consumed  on  the  way  to  the  Capitol,  causing  no  little 
suffering  from  cold,  some  keeping  "courage  up"  by  little  fires  kept 
burning  on  floor  or  seats  from  whittlings  from  pine  benches. 

Co.  K  was  in  her  place  as  the  i4Oth  marched  through  Pennsyl 
vania  avenue,  Washington  City,  with  flying  colors,  about  4  p.  m.,  on 
the  1 3th,  setting  out  for  Burnside's  army.  The  first  night's  camping 
out  was  such  a  one  as  to  be  long  remembered,  in  a  wet  bottom,  with 
scarcely  a  redeeming  feature.  In  K's  memorandum  it  is  styled  as 
"Camp  Misery."  But  the  second  night's  lodging  showed  a  com 
mendable  readiness  for  improvement  in  the  school  of  experience, 
and  Co.  K  was  not  behind  in  learning  to  accommodate  itself  to  any 
conditions.  So  we  dubbed  that  night's  lodging  amid  the  pines 
"Camp  Hope."  And  so  those  days  of  marching,  with  sunshine  and 
rain,  with  favorable  and  unfavorable  news  from  the  battle  being 


1 8  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

waged  at  Fredericksburg,  with  the  varied  experiences  on  the  way, 
were  to  the  Company,  a  good  schooling,  for  the  strenuous  and  vigor 
ous  service  upon  which  we  were  entering.  From  Aquia  creek  on  to 
the  front  our  illustrative  lessons  were  those  of  war's  desolations. 
The  soldiers  of  our  defeated  army,  returning  to  their  former  camp 
ing  grounds,  blackekned  with  the  smoke  of  battle,  make  an  impres 
sion  on  the  mind  and  heart  of  each  of  us  as  we  march  by  them  into 
a  place  designated  for  our  camping  ground.  This  was, hailed  as 
well  selected,  a  woods  where  pines  and  oaks  abounded,  timely  for  the 
construction  of  winter  quarters.  This  was  at  nightfall  on  the  2Oth 
of  December,  the  closing  of  a  week  of  real  soldiering,  testing  well 
the  men's  powers  of  endurance.  The  reflections  of  the  writer,  as 
found  in  his  memoranda  book,  express  well  the  sentiments  prevailing 
that  Saturday  night :  "It  seems  refreshing  to  look  out  over  our  Com 
pany  as  the  boys,  with  tents  pitched,  rest  and  commune  in  a  spirit  of 
contentment  and  good  will.  They  sit  beside  blazing  fires,  pressed 
closer  and  closer  to  them  by  the  cold  wintry  air.  Some  are  crawling 
into  their  nests  early — and  gladly  do  they  lay  themselves  down  to 
rest,  to  dream  of  the  dear  ones  left  at  home  and  of  future  happy  days. 
Poor  soldiers,  rest  in  peace,  with  the  consciousness  that  you  are  en 
deavoring  to  do  your  duty  as  God  gives  you  opportunity.  Remem 
ber,  too,  that  while  you  are  pilgrim  soldiers  here  in  this  strange  land, 
amid  danger,  sin  and  death,  the  prayers  and  good  wishes  of  thous 
ands  follow  you.  Think  of  those  loved  ones  in  the  pleasant  home 
circle,  encircled  by  all  that  makes  life  happy — think  of  your  cher 
ished  institutions  and  sanctuary  privileges;  of  your  rich  farms;  of 
your  prosperous  towns  and  cities —  vour  enterprising  factories ;  your 
commerce ;  your  country's  religious  freedom  and  civil  liberty.  Think 
of  the  cost  in  the  purchase  of  this  boon — the  sacrifice  of  our  fore 
fathers — the  shed  blood  of  patriots.  And  think  now  of  recreant 
hands  uplifted  to  destroy  our  government,  striking  from  our  history 
its  brightness,  trampling  under  foot  our  glorious  flag — symbol  of 
our  might.  Think  of  these  things,  and  feel  proud  of  the  position 
you  occupy — soldiers  for  the  Union." 

Co.  K's  men  showed  a  good  degree  of  skill  and  efficiency  in  con- 


I4OTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  19 

structing  the  winter  quarters,  following  with  commendable  accuracy 
the  general  instructions.  So  that  in  the  remaining  days  of  December 
the  work  was  about  fully  done  and  the  boys  were  at  home  in  their 
village  of  booths,  having  in  the  same  time  become  fairly  well  initiated 
in  the  requirements  of  the  service,  embracing  all  kinds  of  drill,  in 
squad,  Company,  Regiment  and  Brigade,  with  inspections  and  re 
views,  an  extensive  review  of  the  Right  Grand  Division  (Sumner's) 
having  taken  place  on  the  23rd,  Gen.  Burnside  being  present.  And 
K  responded  readily  to  her  share  of  details  for  special  duty,  and 
for  police,  guard  and  picket  duties.  On  the  i8th  day  of  January  K 
shared  in  the  delight  of  the  Regiment  in  receiving  Springfield  rifles 
to  supplant  our  old  Austrian  muskets.  A  glad  good-bye  to  the  old 
kickers ! 

In  the  months  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Co.  K  endured  hard 
ships,  severities,  exposures  and  privations  that  tested  physical  endur 
ance  to  the  utmost,  and  in  them  had  a  schooling  that  was  to  tell  in 
the  future  good  record  of  the  Regiment.  But  there  were  always  a 
sufficiency  of  spice  and  source  of  merriment  and  good  cheer 
among  the  boys.  Receipt  of  news  from  friends,  substantial  tokens 
of  love  and  care  in  boxes  of  good  things  sent  by  them,  camp  fire 
chats  and  musings,  little  banquets  together,  sometimes  at  the  ex 
pense  of  the  scanty  income  and  to  the  profit  of  the  army  suttler — all 
these  were  as  "Lights  among  the  Shadows"  in  soldier  life. 

Co.  K  was  favored  in  February  with  another  visit  from  Col. 
Sam'l  Magill,  of  Cross  Creek,  the  father  of  James  K.  P.,  one  of  our 
best  members,  and  a  model  in  many  excellent  qualities  of  the  true 
soldier.  Col.  Magill  had  visited  us  while  in  Monkton.  The  Captain 
and  Orderly  Sergeant  were  specially  favored  by  visits  from  three  of 
their  schoolmates,  Rev.  Messrs.  McC.  Blayney,  Ewing  and  Wotring. 

Another  quotation  from  the  writer's  journal  will  show  the  tem 
perament  and  spirit  of  the  boys  of  K,  who  did  their  part  in  giving 
the  Regiment  its  high  standing  in  the  army.  "A  soldier's  Saturday 
night — Dec.  27.  The  boys  of  K  are  now  pretty  comfortably  housed 
in  their  booths.  Take  a  look  in  upon  that  of  the  sergeants,  and  we 
have  a  fair  sample  of  the  sixteen  in  our  Company,  eight  on  either 


2o  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

side  of  the  Company  street.  The  sergeants  with  Drummer  McCon- 
nell  are  snugly  seated  around  a  bright  fire.  Boyd  is  leisurely  smok 
ing  his  pipe,  sending  out  with  each  ascending  puff  a  loving  sigh  or 
thought  of  'the  girl  he  left  behind'  in  old  Washington.  Alexander 
is  'cogitating/  giving  his  mustache  a  twist  now  and  then,  possibly 
thinking  of  some  evening  spent  among  the  'peach  blossoms.'  It  may 
be,  however,  only  an  endeavor  of  his  to  discover  some  plan  by  which 
he  can  further  contribute  to  our  present  happiness.  He  has  been 
faithful  in  this  respect.  Hayes  is  seated  on  his  knapsack  cooly  writ 
ing  to — — .  His  look  betokens  a  clear  conscience,  having  as  usual 
performed  his  duty  to  the  letter.  His  sage  remarks  settle  many 
points  in  dispute.  In  true  affection  his  heart  turns  to  loved  sisters 
and  a  beautiful  home  he  left  for  his  country's  defense.  He's  with 
us  from  purest  love  of  country.  Were  it  not  for  Shindle  the  spirits 
of  our  mess  would  sometimes  run  low.  His  sly  remarks  would 
make  round  the  most  elongated  face  on  most  occasions.  The  drum 
mer  boy,  too,  he  fondly  turns  to  a  dear  wife  at  home  and  hates 
the  recreants  that  drove  him  from  her,  but  he'll  be  with  us  with  his 
rattling  Yankee  Doodle  till  the  last  one  of  them  be  subdued.  The 
'Orderly'  can  only  glance  hastily  into  the  other  fifteen,  with  a  cheer 
ing  'how  d'  de?'  The  occupations  are  various.  The  booth  of  the 
Candor  squad  for  neatness  and  convenience  takes  the  lead.  In  it 
Will  Powelson  is  quartered,  who  at  his  country's  call  bid  adieu  to 
wife  and  little  daughter.  And  there's  Corporal  Wm.  Pry,  who 
left  quite  a  family.  The  country  may  feel  secure  with  such  sol 
diery  between  it  and  its  foes." 

The  Company  was  noted  for  its  cleanliness  and  good  order,  and 
for  its  attentiveness  to  military  discipline,  under  frequent  and  oftimes 
most  exacting  inspections.  In  the  Adjutant's  competitive  inspections 
of  guard  details  Co.  K  frequently  won,  and  on  one  occasion  carried 
off  all  the  honors ;  on  another,  four  out  of  the  six.  For  excellence  in 
work  and  neatness  in  appearance  it  was  often  complimented. 

On  Feb.  28th,  Silas  Cooke,  J.  C.  Lyle  and  Wm.  Porter,  left  in 
'hospital  at  York,  Pa.,  Dec.  loth,  returned  and  were  warmly  wel 
comed  back  into  camp. 


14-oTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  21 

Corp'l  Wm.  L.  Pry  and  Serg't  Hayes  were  granted  furloughs 
home  for  ten  days.  While  in  camp  near  Falmouth  the  hearts  of  the 
Powelson  brothers  were  saddened  by  the  news  of  the  deaths  of  their 
two  brothers,  Samuel  and  George,  who  were  members  of  Co.  D,  32nd 
Regiment  of  Mo.  Vols.,  in  the  army  near  Vickburg. 

On  the  3  ist  of  December,  '62,  K  records  her  fifth  loss.  This 
time  a  desertion.  We  have  only  the  official  record .  John  Fulton, 
"deserted  Dec.  31,  1862,  Georgetown,  D.  C."  Our  next  loss  was 
Harrison  McConnell,  discharged  Feb.  13,  '63.  In  this  case  it  appears 
that  Harrison  was  a  minor,  enlisting  without  the  consent  of  his  par 
ents.  They  applying  to  the  U.  S.  courts,  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  got  a  de 
cision  of  release.  On  the  I4th  day  of  Feb.,  '63,  Corp'l  Isaac  Donald 
son  died  in  camp  of  typhoid  fever.  His  death  was  one  of  triumph 
in  Christian  faith.  But  it  cast  a  gloom  over  the  Company.  We 
mourned  the  loss  of  a  good  soldier  and  a  kind  companion. 

The  other  losses  up  to  the  time  of  our  breaking  camp,  April 
28th,  were  as  follows :  Corp'l  John  D.  McCabe,  discharged  Feb. 
1 3th,  '63,  on  surgeon's  certificate  of  disability;  Henderson  Scott,  dis 
charged  March  12,  '63,  special  order  War  Department ;  Robert  Lyle, 
discharged  March  14,  '63,  surgeon's  certificate  of  disability;  Benja 
min  B.  Buchanan,  discharged  March  20,  '63,  surgeon's  certificate  of 
disability;  Isaac  Golden,  died  April  15,  '63,  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  D.  C., 
and  was  buried  in  the  Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C.,  and  David 
W.  Corbin,  died  April  21,  '63,  in  Stanton  hospital,  D.  C.,  and  buried 
in  the  same  Military  Asylum  Cemetery.  These  losses  cut  the  roll  of 
members  down  to  82. 

John  A.  McCalmont  was  promoted  to  Corporal  to  date  April 
1 5th,  '63,  the  time  of  Donaldson's  death.  Jos.  Smith  Graham  was 
made  Corporal,  to  date  the  time  of  McCabe's  discharge,  Feb.  13,  '63. 

When  the  Company  marched  out  from  camp  on  April  28th, 
Lieut.  Sweeney  was  in  Washington,  Pa.,  on  leave  of  absence,  and 
Musician  McConnell  was  at  home  on  furlough.  Robert  McClurg 
was  with  the  Pioneer  Corps.  J.  H.  Fordyce,  Ezra  Conaway,  Michael 
Daugherty  and  Ben.  McCullough  were  on  detached  duty  as  team 
sters.  Colin  R.  Nickeson,  Owen  McEffish  and  John  Makeown  were 


22  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

sick  and  left  at  Falmouth.  The  sick  in  hospitals  in  Washington  and 
other  places  were :  D.  J.  Butterfoss,  Ben.  Cummins,  John  Day,  Geo. 
Hanlin,  Geo.  Morrow,  Enoch  Mounts  and  Wm.  A.  RufTner.  In  all 
absent  from  the  ranks  17,  leaving  65  to  cross  the  Rappahannock  and 
enter  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  as  follows:  Capt.  Stockton, 
Lieut.  Cook.  Seargeants  Powelson,  Boyd,  Alexander,  Hayes  and 
Shindle ;  Corporals  Cooke,  Powelson,  Ralston,  Pry,  Gardner,  Hanlin, 
McCalmont  and  Graham ;  Musician  Morris,  privates  Allison,  Abram 
Andrews,  Peter  Andrews,  Arthurs,  Berryhill,  Briggs,  George  Car 
ter,  Jesse  Carter,  Thomas  Carter,  Chester,  Chisholm,  Jos.  Corbin, 
Cochran,  Dickson,  Dungan,  Earnest,  Frazier,  Geary,  Guess,  Haw 
thorn,  Hull,  Johnson,  J.  C.  Lyle,  McCurdy,  Magill,  Maloy,  Meldoon, 
Metcalf,  Wm.  Miller,  Isaac  Miller,  J.  W.  Nickeson,  Noah,  Porter, 
Robt.  Pry,  David  Pry,  Rea,  Wm.  Scott,  Seese,  Geo.  Sprowls,  Jesse 
Sprowls,  Staley,  Star,  Stollar,  Toppin,  Virtue,  Wheeler,  Wilkin, 
Worstell  and  Wright. 

Co.  K  participated  with  the  Regiment  in  all  the  five  days  of 
action,  being  more  or  less  under  fire  the  entire  time.  Our  first  ex 
perience  in  line  of  battle  was  on  a  by-road  leading  out  from  Plank 
Road,  about  a  mile  east  of  Chancellorsville.  Thick  woods  in  our 
rear.  Dense  pine  thickets  in  front.  Fences  were  leveled.  Shells 
crushing  in  tops  of  trees  behind  us.  Balls  occasionally  zipping 
nearby,  and  enemy  coming  nearer,  but  could  not  be  seen.  In  those 
moments  of  trial,  what  a  study  in  human  nature !  The  rebels  came 
on  in  heavy  columns.  Our  skirmishers  are  driven  in.  Orders  given 
to  fall  back,  and  our  going  back  through  that  brush  was  a  terror. 
No  order  could  be  maintained.  But  once  out  of  timber  and  on  road, 
we  were  soon  right  again,  and  ever  after  were  ready  for  the  Johnnies. 
We  had  been  initiated,  practically  blindfolded.  In  that  first  day  of 
May  and  several  days  following  Co.  K  was  tested  in  nearly  all  phases 
of  engagement,  its  chief  work  being  constructing  entrenchments  and 
abatis;  and  in  the  hottest  conflict  on  the  third  day,  in  support  of 
Knapp's  battery.  In  this  particular  service  K  had  some  protection  in 
an  embankment  of  a  cross  road,  while  shot  and  shell  passed  over  in 
dreadful  profusion.  Capt.  Stockton  had  shelter  only  by  a  little  sap- 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  23 

ling,  which  was  cut  off  a  few  feet  above  him,  Lieut.  Col.  Frazier  re 
marking,  "rather  a  close  call,  Captain." 

To  a  soldier  in  his  first  battle  there  are  strange  feelings  and 
peculiar  experiences.  That  the  members  of  K  shared  in  these  may 
be  indicated  by  a  quotation  from  Corp'l  Cooke's  writings  to  me: 
"On  the  ist  day  of  May,  '63,  I  saw  the  first  wounded  man  as  we 
marched  out  to  support  the  skirmish  line  to  the  right  of  plank  road 
east  of  Chancellorsville.  The  sight  of  the  blood  running  down  the 
man's  face  made  me  blind ;  but  it  soon  passed  away,  and  I  never  ex 
perienced  the  sensation  again  during  the  war,  though  I  saw  many 
worse  sights.  It  was  then  the  Company  had  several  new  experi 
ences — lying  in  front  of  a  battery  to  support  it  (in  the  open  ground, 
just  east  of  C.)  lying  in  the  woods  at  night  while  an  occasional  long- 
tailed,  comet-like  shell  would  shriek  over  us,  while  we  buried  our 
noses  in  the  dirt  and  leaves;  the  wild  experience  of  supporting  the 
battery  behind  it,  while  it  seemed  all  the  artillery  of  the  enemy  was 
playing  upon  it.  That  Sunday  artillery  duel  was  the  most  terrific  ex 
perience  to  me  of  the  whole  war.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  there  were 
but  few  casualties  in  K  worthy  of  mention.  That  being  our  first 
battle  many  things  were  vividly  impressed  on  my  mind :  the  digging 
of  trenches;  the  attack  on  Howard  (by  Jackson)  that  thundering 
Saturday  night;  the  filing  by  of  the  nth  Corps  the  next  morning; 
the  disabled  cannon  swung  under  axles ;  the  women  pale  and  fright 
ened,  fleeing  from  the  burning  Chancellorsville  houses,  creeping 
along  our  trenches  to  find  a  place  of  safety ;  the  band  shelled  while 
playing  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner";  the  dragging  off  by  hand  (by 
detail  from  the  i4Oth)  the  remnant  of  our  battery  in  front;  the  fall 
ing  back  to  a  new  line,  and  finally  the  retreat." 

Much  of  our  maneuvring  was  done  in  woods  and  tangling  brush, 
very  annoying.  K  withstood  its  baptism  in  battle  well,  and  met  the 
discomfiture,  defeat  and  retreat  of  our  army  in  very  good  spirits, 
sharing  in  the  "ups  and  downs"  in  the  march  in  rain  and  mud.  Many 
expressed  regret  as  we  recrossed  the  river,  for  better  things  had  been 
expected. 

On  the  north  side  Lieut.  Sweeney  and  Geo.  McConnell  were  met, 


24  -  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

returning  from  their  visits  home.  This  was  on  the  morning  of  May 
6th.  The  march  thence  back  to  our  old  camps  was  made  much  "as 
you  please,"  characteristically  like  American  soldiering;  but  we  got 
there  O.  K. — for  supper,  and  that  after  considerable  rustling.  One 
thing  was  manifest,  K  had  parted  with  many  of  its  possessions  in 
extra  clothing,  comforts,  etc.,  and  some  essentials  were  lost.  The 
fact  is,  when  we  were  up  in  support  battery  on  the  3rd,  our  knap- 
ks  left  by  order,  at  trenches,  we^re  ransacked  by  camp  followers. 


rences,  were  rans 
H  ******  ZliqWy  W 

p  in  support  nf  natt 


,  nnr  Vnap 


Wheeler,  in  arm;  McCalmont,  in  foot;  Briggs,  in  back;  Chester,  in 
leg ;  and  J.  W.  Nickeson,  thumb  shot  off.  Corp'l  W.  L.  Pry,  in  fall 
ing  back  to  hospital,  overcome  with  fatigue,  accidentally  shot  him 
self  in  hand. 

Comrade  McClurg  (who  was  with  the  Pioneer  Corps,  which, 
while  laying  pontoons,  was  shelled  by  the  rebs  and  had  to  seek  shel 
ter  till  our  cavalry  drove  the  rebs  away(  reports  that  he  cut  slips 
from  apple  trees  behind  which  he  took  refuge  and  sent  them  by  letter 
to  the  man  on  his  home  place,  and  that  today  he  eats  apples  from  a 
large  tree  grown  from  the  slips  grafted  on  the  two  branches  of  a 
young  tree  then  recently  planted.  (On  a  visit,  in  June,  '04,  the  writer 
saw  with  much  satisfaction  this  tree). 

On  the  nth  day  of  May,  for  sanitary  effect,  our  camp  was 
moved  about  a  mile,  and  K  soon  had  herself  in  summer  array.  On 
the  1 3th  K  was  assigned  to  a  new  place  in  line  and  camp,  other  Com 
panies,  too,  being  changed.  (C,  B,  K,  I,  A,  H,  G,  D,  F,  E).  This 
changed  K  from  left  to  right  centre.  On  the  I4th,  the  Orderly  with 
a  volunteer  squad  beautified  the  Company  street,  planting  out  little 
pines,  etc. 

On  the  20th  day  of  May,  '63,  Wm.  A.  Ruffner  was  discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate  of  disability.  And  on  the  2ist  K  suffered  the 
loss  of  Corporal  W.  L.  Pry.  The  accidental  wound  had  been  fol 
lowed  by  the  amputation  of  the  hand,  and  from  some  cause  or  other, 
it  was  deemed  necessary  to  make  another  amputation.  This  time  the 
whole  arm.  But  the  shock  and  loss  of  blood  were  too  much.  At  2  130 
p.  m.  he  died.  Arrangements  were  made  to  embalm  the  body  and 


I40TH    PENNSYLVANIA   VOLUNTEERS.  25 

ship  it  to  Cross  Creek,  Pa.,  for  interment.  Serg't  B.  F.  Powelson 
was  given  a  three  days'  pass  to  accompany  the  remains  as  far  as 
Washington,  D.  C.  D.  McC.  Pry  was  promoted  Corporal  to  fill  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  his  uncle. 

George  Morrow,  in  the  hospital  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  was  re 
ported  as  discharged  on  May  23rd,  '63,  on  surgeon's  certificate  of 
disability.  But  a  few  days  afterward  there  came  the  sad  news  of  his 
death  in  the  hospital.  Thus  seven  of  our  number  had  already  suc 
cumbed  to  death  through  sickness,  and  one  from  a  wound. 

To  relieve  the  severities  of  soldier  life  friends  at  home  had  sent 
many  extras  in  food  and  delicacies  to  the  members  of  the  Company 
and  Regiment  in  camp. 

The  recollections  of  the  closing  days  of  May  and  the  early  days 
of  June,  too,  to  us  are  very  vivid :  the  rigid  drilling,  the  rumors  of 
movements,  and  pf  Lee's  army  heading  northward,  the  breaking  up 

CaHv^#i«^€VMH<frcf  c^+    J 

of  .camp  streets  with  accumulated  beans,  rice,  etc.,  that  the  same 
might  not  fall  in  the  enemy's  hands.  And  now  we  number  ourselves 
for  campaign  and  conflict. 

On  our  roll  are  now  but  79  names.  Exclusive  of  those  on  de 
tached  or  special  duty  and  the  sick,  only  about  55  or  56  were  ready 
for  the  line. 

When  on  June  I4th  the  army  started  north,  Co.  K  bore  up 
bravely  in  marching  through  dust  and  heat,  and  now  and  then  wad 
ing  streams.  How  vivid  our  recollections  of  that  awful  dust — when 
in  evening  coming  down  to  the  valley  of  the  Occoquan  and  before 
wading  it,  it  rested  on  our  knapsacks  (according  to  Serg't  Shindle's 
measurement)  a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep !  Blistered  feet !  The 
waters  of  the  Occoquan  soothed  them.  Nor  do  we  forget  that  big 
spring  near  Fairfax  Station,  like  the  water  from  the  rock  smitten 
by  Moses,  a  source  of  delight  to  thousands  for  several  days.  The 
boys,  too,  of  K  shared  in  the  sights  and  soldier  enjoyments  at  Cen- 
terville.  Here  on  the  iQth  or  2Oth  of  June  our  Company  positions 
were  again  changed  in  the  Regiment.  Now  from  C  on  the  right 
stand  C,  F,  G.  D,  K,  I,  B,  H,  E,  A.  K  now  is  the  color  Company, 
the  third  position  of  honor,  and  this  it  held  ever  afterward. 


26  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

While  on  duty  a  few  days  at  Gainsville  the  boys  of  K  improved 
their  opportunities  in  securing  some  change  in  diet,  and  the  First 
Sergeant  tried  his  hand  in  trading  coffee  and  sugar  for  some  extras 
for  the  larder ;  and  were  Lieut.  Cook  and  Smith  Graham  living  they 
could  testify  to  his  success.  The  Sergeant's  repeated  efforts  as  well 
as  successes  in  this,  they  say,  were  due  to  that  fine  looking  "gal," 
Evelyn  Harrison  Marsteller,  at  the  Marsteller  Mansion. 

From  this  on  in  all  our  movements  we  were  kept  in  constant 
readiness  for  action,  as  the  army  was  held  between  Washington  City 
and  the  enemy,  ever  alert,  picketing  and  skirmishing,  marching  re 
gardless  of  rain  or  swollen  streams,  through  sections  devastated  by 
the  armies,  over  battlefields  with  their  terrible  sights.  And  boys  of 
K,  can  you  forget  the  night  at  Gum  Tree  Springs,  when  after  that 
hard  day's  marching  and  watching,  you  bivouaced,  and  how  it  rained 
all  night?  Nevertheless  it  was  a  good  sound  sleep  from  ten  or 
eleven  till  four  in  the  morning,  on  a  bed  of  two  flat  rails,  (the 
''Orderly"  was  lucky  to  get  such)  one  end  on  a  stone  or  broken 
piece  of  rail  and  the  other  on  a  bank,  the  water  streaming  be  neath, 
each  one  for  himself,  wrapped  with  his  scant  remnant  of  hard-tack 
and  coffee,  gun  and  ammunition,  in  a  gum  blanket  or  piece  of  tent, 
and  the  cap  drawn  down  over  the  face.  Never  were  sleep  and  rest 
sweeter!  And  the  early  hours  found  us  pressing  on  towards  the 
Potomac,  over  swollen  streams.  How  timely  those  good  rail  fences 
on  the  heights,  overlooking  the  river  at  Edward's  Ferry.  And  how 
readily  every  one  in  K  obeyed  the  order  to  take  only  the  top  rail, 
until  the  Company  had  its  share  of  blazing  fires  to  dry  and  warm  us ! 
Then  that  never-to-be-forgotten  night  when  we  crossed  on  the  pon 
toon  bridges.  K's  turn  came  after  hours  of  waiting,  and  at  2  o'clock 
in  the  morning  we  found  ourselves  in  "My  Maryland."  All  were 
practically  asleep  on  march  or  halt.  Oh,  those  plagued  stops  or  halts 
through  all  that  weary  night!  Yes,  you  remember  your  Orderly 
Sergeant's  mishap — how,  in  one  of  those  miserable  stops,  he  fell 
asleep,  having  dropped  down  by  a  bush  on  the  roadside,  a  half  mile 
or  so  from  the  river — no  sooner  down  than  asleep,  and  did  not  wake 
up  by  the  usual  call  of  comrades;  and  so  two  hours  passed  in  that 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  27 

innocent  sleep,  and  he  got  completely  lost  from  the  Regiment,  and 
remained  so  (as  everything  was  moving  onward)  till  evening  oic 
second  day,  June  28th.  Fortunately  he  found  James  Arthurs,  of  K, 
who  drove  the  Regimental  wagon.  Not  knowing  anything  better, 
he  stayed  by  the  stuff  till  Arthurs  received  orders  to  take  much 
needed  rations  to  the  Regiment,  which  was  found  in  bivouac,  just 
south  of  Frederick  City  across  the  Monocacy.  And  the  lost  was 
found,  and  the  "Orderly"  was  welcomed  with  profound  rejoicings, 
no  one  knowing  what  had  become  of  him,  the  last  any  one  could  re 
member  aught  of  him  was  while  crossing  on  the  pontoons.  And 
does  any  one  with  K  on  June  2Qth  forget  that  march  of  35  miles  by 
the  2nd  Corps  to  hill  just  northeast  of  Uniontown,  Md.  ?  We  trow 
not.  How  we  enjoyed  the  rest  and  the  foraging  (from  fresh  pas 
tures)  on  the  3Oth,  and  Gen.  Hancock's  order  of  congratulation  and 
thanks.  Here  Cummins  and  others  from  the  hospitals  joined  us. 
And  vivid,  too,  is  each  one's  remembrance  of  the  march  of  30  miles 
we  made  on  afternoon  and  night  of  July  ist,  our  Brigade  being  rear 
guard. 

Of  the  79  now  on  K's  roll  as  we  take  our  position  on  the  battle 
line  on  the  morning  of  July  2nd,  22  are  absent — in  hospital  or  absent 
sick — Silas  Cooke,  George  Ralston,  Peter  Andrews,  D.  J.  Butterfoss, 
J.  W.  Day,  Jos.  C.  Frazier,  George  Hanlin,  J.  W.  Nickeson,  Wm. 
Stollar  and  Marshall  Wright.  On  detached  or  detailed  duty — John 
F.  Gardner,  James  Arthurs,  M.  Daugherty,  J.  H.  Fordyce,  Ben  Mc- 
Cullough,  J.  L.  Noah,  Ezra  Conaway,  Enoch  Mounts,  J.  K.  Mc- 
Curdy,  Robert  McClurg,  Nat.  Seese  and  Jas.  Worstell. 

Each  one  participating  in  the  righting  at  Gettysburg  is  able  to 
tell  his  story  of  that  wonderful  conflict.  It  was  fought  for  the  most 
part  on  open  ground  and  much  could  be  seen.  But  the  average  sol 
dier's  vision  was  confined  largely  to  his  immediate  surroundings. 
Yet  individual  testimony  goes  far  oftimes  to  settle  matters  over 
which  there  arise  differences  in  opinion.  Co.  K  stayed  well  together 
until  the  hasty  retreat,  and  its  path  seems  clearly  defined.  So  dis 
tinct  were  the  impressions  thereof  on  the  memory  of  the  writer  that, 
on  a  visit  to  the  battlefield  in  1898,  the  only  time  I  ever  visited  it. 


28  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THB 

35  years  after  the  conflict,  I  could  start  in  where  we  marched  in  and 
follow  our  route  from  start  to  finish.  Could  stand  where  we  stood 
in  line  as  we  emerged  from  the  strip  of  timber,  and  where  Col. 
Roberts  fell  and  our  right  wing  suffered  so  heavily,  and  could  see 
afresh  our  changed  position  to  meet  existing  conditions.  Since  called 
to  this  work,  I  have  resurrected  from  the  old  trunk  the  almost  daily 
writings  I  kept  during  my  term  of  service — the  most  of  which  I  was 
able  to  save  amid  the  vicissitudes  of  marches  and  battles.  They 
strengthen  and  verify  my  recollections.  And  I  will  here  submit  an 
extract  from  my  "Journal  Notes,"  taken  at  the  time,  which  gives  my 
impressions  of,  and  a  glance  at  my  experiences  in  that  terrible  vor 
tex  of  battle  in  which  we  were  on  the  evening  of  July  2,  1863. 

"Gen.  Hancock  now  sends  his  1st  Division  to  the  relief  of 
Sickles.  It  moves  in  with  rapidity  in  fine  order.  The  battle  rages 
terribly.  We  pass  the  Trostle  house  where  the  Massachusetts  bat 
tery  has  nearly  been  swept  away — up  on  the  Emitsburg  road  west. 
But  soon  we  are  marched  back  by  and  south  of  Trestle's,  form  line 
of  battle  and  pass  on  south,  through  corner  of  wheat  field,  on  edge 
of  which  Gen.  Zook  is  mortally  wounded — on  through  strip  of  tim 
ber,  over  or  around  huge  boulders.  It  is  almost  six  o'clock  when 
we  are  in  line  of  battle,  facing  south  and  west — Col.  Roberts  killed 
in  front  of  Regiment — right  wing  in  open  field  under  severe  en 
filading  fire,  suffer  terrible  losses — Lt.  Col.  Frazier,  as  soon  as  he  re 
alizes  situation  changes  front  of  right  wing  to  face  Peach  Orchard — 
our  Company  on  left.  We  fire  continuously.  Serg't  Boyd  and  I  pass 
to  left  of  Company  as  all  are  doing  well  their  duty.  We  fire  from 
big  rock  into  bit  of  timber  dark  with  smoke.  I  fire  some  17  rounds. 
Boyd  calls  out,  'Orderly,  they  are  falling  back.'  I  fire  a  load  I  had 
just  put  in.  Boyd  has  disappeared.  I  start  back  seemingly  alone, 
going  out  about  the  way  I  came  in — soon  come  up  with  others,  but 
I  do  not  know  them — all  running  for  dear  life  and  Johnnie  bullets 
rattling  all  about  us.  Crossing  an  open  space,  I  could  see  the  rebels 
close  upon  us  to  my  left — they  order  me  to  surrender — but  I  can't 
see  it — I'll  run  the  risk,  as  I  could  see  our  lines  to  the  right  and  some 
timber  in  front  into  which  I  soon  pass,  and  get  out  of  range.  Could 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  29 

hear  the  rattling  of  the  muskets  of  our  lines.  It  was  a  bloody  battle, 
but  Co.  K  and  the  whole  of  the  i4Oth  acted  nobly."  , 

Back  a  little  distance  I  found  a  few  of  our  boys,  and  we  found 
our  way  back  to  our  field  hospital.  Through  much  of  that  night  I 
assisted  at  the  hospital.  I  held  the  arm  of  Lieut.  Vance  of  Co.  C 
while  his  hand  was  amputated.  That  to  me  was  a  most  dreadful 
night.  I  slept  soundly  a  few  hours  in  the  morning.  Then  joined  the 
remnant  of  our  noble  Regiment  on  the  line  they  held  that  eventful 
3rd  of  July. 

When  the  smoke  of  battle  in  that  fearful  conflict  in  evening  of 
2nd  of  July,  and  that  world  renowned  battle  of  the  3rd,  most  of 
which  we  saw  distinctly,  had  passed  away,  K  numbered  her  dead 
five :  Serg't  T.  C.  Hayes,  Thomas  J.  Carter,  Robert  W.  Hull,  Wm. 
H.  Miller  and  Jesse  Sprowls.  All  good  and  true  soldiers.  I  deeply 
felt  the  loss  of  "Clif."  Hayes,  my  blanket  mate,  warm-hearted,  noble- 
spirited,  ever  faithful.  These  were  buried  on  the  4th,  as  best  we 
could.  I  superintended  the  burial  of  Hayes  and  Carter.  Hayes'  re 
mains  were  soon  removed  to  the  home  graveyard  in  Cross  Creek 
Village,  Pa.  Comrade  Magill  tells  me  that  the  remains  of  Carter 
were  interred  in  the  National  Cemetery,  Gettysburg,  but  that  it  is 
erroneously  marked  Carpenter. 

Lieut.  Cook  and  Serg't  Shindle  were  taken  prisoners.  And  our 
list  of  wounded  were :  Serg't  Alexander,  in  arm  and  hand ;  Wm. 
Hanlin,  in  hand  and  leg;  Robert  Virtue,  severely  in  breast;  Robert 
Meldoon,  in  face  and  leg ;  Johnson  Toppin,  in  shoulder ;  Ben  Earnest, 
severely  in  face;  Isaac  Chisholm,  in  thigh;  Jos.  Corbin,  in  leg: 
Colin  Nickeson,  in  breast. 

Corp'l  Wm.  R.  H.  Powelson  was  promoted  to  be  sergeant  in 
place  of  Hayes,  and  James  K.  P.  Magill  to  be  corporal  in  his  place. 

One  instance  should  here  be  related  in  K's  favor.  J.  B.  Allison, 
a  private  of  this  Company,  was  the  instrument  of  saving  the  colors 
of  our  Regiment.  I  give  it  as  he  told  it  to  me  in  a  recent  letter : 
"As  we  were  falling  back  from  our  position  near  and  in  sight  of  the 
Peach  Orchard,  at  Gettysburg,  our  color-bearer  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  back.  He  fell  forward,  and  raising  himself  partly 


3o  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

up  called  to  me  to  save  the  Hag.  I  lifted  him  partly  up  and  drew 
the  flag  staff  from  under  him.  I  kept  the  flag  in  my  possession  for 
say  a  half  hour,  until  I  came  up  with  the  scattered  group  of  the 
Regiment.  I  gave  the  flag  into  the  hands  of  a  corporal  of  Co.  E 
(I  don't  remember  his  name)  I  believe  he  was  finally  made  a  cap 
tain."  This,  I  am  told,  was  Corporal  Power. 

The  "fiery  ordeal"  of  Gettysburg  as  a  test  found  some  wanting 
in  true  courage.  And  one  faint  heart  in  K  was  sifted  out.  George 
Star  was  missing  when  with  our  Corps  we  took  up  our  march  south 
ward  after  Lee.  And  we  had  to  report  him  a  deserter,  under  date 
of  July  15,  '63.  Comrade  Mounts  reports  that  Star  was  seen  three 
years  after  and  reported  himself  as  having  traded  suits  with  a  farm 
lad  a  short  distance  out  from  Gettysburg,  and  gone  west. 

K's  readiness  in  coping  with  obstacles  and  meeting  present 
emergencies  was  manifest  when  on  July  I7th  the  race  to  head  off 
Lee's  army  being  ended,  we  quietly  turned  in  east  of  "Maryland 
Heights,"  below  Harper's  Ferry,  to  rid  ourselves  of  a  month's  accu 
mulated  dirt  together  with  the  usual  accompaniment,  and  the  whole 
sale  and  retail  slaughter  of  the  pediculos  vestimenti  was  immense. 
Then,  when  on  next  day  we  came  upon  nature's  own  sanitary  provis 
ion  in  fields  of  dewberries  and  what  some  foraging  on  the  farms  of 
Loudon  valley  brought  us,  we  toned  up  our  impoverished  and  abused 
bodily  systems,  and  further  fitted  ourselves  for  the  active  work  in  the 
months  to  come,  in  which  we  pushed  the  rebels  back  through  Cul- 
pepper  to  the  Rapidan,  and  then,  when  they  were  reinforced,  ran  with 
them  a  race  for  Washington,  with  the  brisk  encounter  at  Auburn,  or 
"Coffee  Hill"  and  battle  of  Bristow  Station,  heading  them  off  effectu 
ally  at  Centerville,  and  in  turn  pushing  them  back  across  the  Rappa- 
hannock,  with  encounter  here  and  there,  and  last  the  early  winter 
dash  and  conflict  at  Mine  Run,  where  the  Johnnies  were  strongly  en 
trenched,  and  finally  settling  down  in  good  winter  quarters  at 
Stevensburg  and  near  Brandy  Station. 

K  shared  in  enough  of  the  spices  of  soldier  life  to  keep  the  boys 
in  good  humor  and  give  them  a  zest  for  the  hardships  endured. 
Will  Powelson  and  others  of  the  Candor  mess  got  off  easily,  when 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  31 

mustered  up  to  headquarters  by  the  provo-guard,  having  in  their 
possession  a  good-sized  pig,  by  a  caution  from  Gen.  Miles  not  to  ever 
be  caught  again.  They  got  even  with  the  General  by  sending  him  a 
neat  roast  from  a  hind  quarter.  And  Silas  Cooke  tells  of  the  wading 
of  the  Rapidan  in  the  latter  part  of  November  when  it  cut  like  3. 
knife,  and  charging  up  the  heights  into  the  rebel  breast- works,  and 
drying  ourselves  in  the  sun;  then  of  the  race  after  the  long-tailed 
lamb,  and  the  row  of  fat  porkers  all  dressed  that  morning  by  the 
rebels,  left  in  their  haste,  and  divided  among  us.  Some  of  our  boys 
will  remember  the  "hot  coffee  made  from  the  contents  of  a  whiskey 
canteen,  which  blistered  our  mouths  while  we  swallowed  it  to  the 
music  of  the  long  roll,  and  did  not  know  what  was  the  matter  until 
the  owner  of  the  canteen  (who  had  come  in  late  and  hung  canteen 
on  top  of  others,  and,  in  Will  Powelson's  haste  to  make  the  coffee, 
was  first  to  be  taken)  let  it  out."  But  let  is  pass  now — 42  or  more 
years  have  passed — what  matters  it  now  whose  canteen  it  was  ?  He 
may  be  living  and  be  serving  the  God  of  his  fathers  faithfully  as  an 
elder  in  some  staid  Presbyterian  church.  The  circumstances  were 
then  trying,  and  possibly  some  one  needed  a  warming  up.  Comrade 
McCalmont  assures  us  that  the  coffee  was  warming  and  made  the 
marching  enlivening  to  some  of  them,  as  we  forced  our  way  along 
on,  as  Cooke  adds,  "the  march  along  the  railroad,  the  camp  in  the 
cut,  the  fearfully  cold  night,  and  the  troops  the  next  morning  stripped 
for  the  charge  (at  Mine  Run)  on  the  frosty  hillside,  but  called  off 
on  account  of  the  cold,  the  long,  gloomy  night  of  retreat  amidst 
fires  on  either  side  to  keep  us  warm  (and  light  our  way).  Retreat 
No.  2  for  the  i4Oth,  and  the  last  I  believe."  So  in  all  this  campaign 
K  sustained  a  worthy  record. 

Some  changes  had  taken  place.  Enoch  Mounts  was  discharged 
Aug.  22,  '63,  on  surgeon's  certificate  of  disability;  Robert  Virtue, 
one  of  Cross  Creek's  best  young  men,  died  from  effects  of  wounds 
received  at  Gettysburg,  in  the  hospital  at  Baltimore,  Sept.  9,  '63. 
Joseph  C.  Frazier  was  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  of  disa 
bility,  Sept.  30,  '63,  having  been  in  hospital  a  long  time.  John  W. 
Nickeson  was  on  account  of  impaired  health  transferred  to  the  Vet- 


32  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

eran  Reserve  Corps,  Nov.  15,  '63.  John  M.  Day  was  discharged 
Dec.  12,  '63,  at  Convalescent  Camp,  Philadelphia,  on  surgeon's  ser- 
tificate  of  disability.  Ben  F.  Earnest,  who  had  been  severely  wound 
ed  in  face  at  Gettysburg,  but  had  been  back  on  duty  for  some  time, 
died  rather  suddenly  in  camp  near  Brandy  Station,  on  Dec.  14,  '63 
Here  K  lost  one  of  its  most  devoted  members.  Corporal  J.  F.  Gard 
ner  and  James  L.  Noah  were  on  Dec.  17,  '63,  transferred  by  special 
order  No.  328,  Headquarters  Army  of  Potomac,  to  the  Corps  Ar 
tillery  Brigade.  These  losses  brought  K's  list  down  to  65.  Wm. 
Porter  was  promoted  corporal  in  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  transfer 
of  Gardner.  Capt.  Stockton  had  been  detailed  to  service  in  the  Gen 
eral  Recruiting  Station  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  leaving  the  Company  on 
July  29th.  And  Lieut.  Sweeney  was  appointed,  on  Dec.  29,  '63,  to 
duty  at  2nd  Corps  headquarters;  later  he  was  assigned  to  duty  at 
Gen.  Barlow's  headquarters,  and  in  latter  part  of  '64  he  was  ap 
pointed  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Miles.  Thus  the  Company  was  without 
a  commissioned  officer,  and  it  remained  so  until  about  the  latter  part 
of  June,  '64. 

In  the  latter  part  of  December,  '63,  Serg't  B.  F.  Powelson  was 
given  a  furlough  of  ten  days  as  a  recognition  of  his  services  in  look 
ing  after  the  Company's  interests.  An  in  the  latter  part  of  January 
he  was  assigned  to  recruiting  service  at  Washington,  Pa.  And  at 
close  of  this  special  duty  he  was  granted  leave  to  attend  a  military 
school  at  Philadelphia  and  to  go  before  Gen.  Casey's  examing  board 
at  Washington,  D.  C. 

During  the  winter  K  shared  in  picket  and  other  duties  and  in  the 
early  spring  reconnoissance  to  the  Rapidan,  "when  we  lay,"  says 
Silas  Cooke,  "and  slept  with  the  rain  pouring  down  upon  us  from 
above  and  the  water  running  under  us — bones  all  aching — then 
back  to  camp.'' 

During  this  time  and  up  to  the  opening  (May  1st)  of  campaign, 
K  lost  four  more,  as  follows:  James  K.  McCurdy  was  discharged 
Feb.  17,  '64  by  special  order  78,  War  Department;  Serg't  Sam'l  K. 
Shindle  died  March  17,  '64,  in  Andersonville  (Ga.)  prison,  buried  in 
grave  No.  1114.  He  taken  prisoner  at  Gettysburg,  was  kept  for  a 


SILAS  COOKE 
(From   a  recent  Photograph) 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  33 

while  on  Belle  Island,,  then  in  Charlotte,  N.  C.,  and  finally  was 
herded  in  that  awful  prison  pen.  Thus  went  out  the  life  of  one  pos 
sessing  many  commendable  traits  as  a  soldier.  Michael  Daugherty 
died  March  18,  '64,  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  from  injury  inflicted  by  the 
kick  of  a  mule.  He  was  buried  in  the  National  Cemetery,  Culpepper, 
Va.,  Block  i,  Sec.  A,  Row  4,  Grave  17.  He  served  well  as  a  team 
ster  in  the  Q.  M.  department.  Isaac  Chisholm  was,  on  March  20, 
'64,  transferred  to  Co.  G,  Qth  Regiment,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

The  names  of  the  following  recruits  had  been  added  to  the 
roll :  William  A.  Jackson,  Florence,  Pa.,  mustered  in  as  a  private, 
Feb.  29,  '64;  John  W.  Tucker,  Florence,  Pa.,  mustered  in  as  a  pri 
vate,  March  I,  '64;  James  A.  Cummins,  Cross  Creek,  Pa.,  mustered 
in  as  a  private,  March  29,  '64.  These  additions  made  the  number 
on  our  roll,  May  i,  1864,  sixty-four.  Excluding  those  on  detached 
duty  and  the  absent  sick  and  Lieut.  Cook,  a  prisoner,  and  we  had 
but  47  for  all  duty  on  the  battlefield. 

J.  Smith  Graham  was  promoted  sergeant  in  vacancy  caused  by 
the  death  of  Shindle,  and  James  C.  Lyle  took  Graham's  place  as  cor 
poral.  John  A.  McCalmont  served  as  corporal  in  the  Color  Guard. 
Lieut.  Ray  was  by  detail  in  command  of  K  from  May  1st  through 
May  8th.  Captains  Linton  and  Kerr  and  a  Lieutenant  of  Co.  E  also 
had  command  of  K  at  different  times  during  the  absence  of  her  own 
commissioned  officers.  Corporal  Cooke  says  that  Capt.  Kerr  had  the 
command  at  Spottsylvania  C.  H. 

As  the  writer  was  not  with  the  Company  when  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  began  its  famous  on  to  Richmond  under  Grant  in  May,  and 
until  the  latter  part  of  June,  when  the  i4Oth  was  before  Petersburg, 
he  depends  mostly  upon  what  the  comrades  who  were  present  can 
furnish  for  K.  And  he  congratulates  his  comrades  in  having  Cor 
poral  Cooke  to  aid  in  the  matter.  He  speaks  for  K  up  to  May  I2th, 
when  a  wound  laid  him  aside  and  he  was  no  more  with  us.  He  tells 
us  that  in  passing  over  the  Chancellorsville  battleground  he  gathered 
some  flowers,  which  he  sent  home,  and  they  are  preserved  unto  this 
day.  He  tells  us  of  the  charge  the  i4Oth  made  in  the  Wilderness, 
when  the  rebels  were  massing  to  break  the  Union  lines  in  a  weak 


34  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

place.  Col.  Frazier,  thinking  we  had  better  be  doing  something 
as  the  balls  were  falling  thick  about  us  as  we  lay  in  line  of  battle, 
received  permission  of  Gen.  Miles  to  go  in  on  a  charge.  The  Colonel 
gave  his  orders,  and,  it  goes  for  the  saying,  they  were  executed.  We 
went  in  on  the  double-quick  (the  double-quick  of  the  i4Oth  was 
always  a  run),  yelling  like  mad,  halted  as  we  reached  position  be 
yond  and  over  a  small  remnant  of  the  Irish  Brigade,  then  fired  front, 
then  right,  then  left,  then  front  until  no  enemy  returned  our  fire. 
Prisoners  taken  reported  that  we  broke  by  these  volleys  three  lines 
of  battle,  and,  night  coming  on,  they  gave  up  their  charge,  thinking 
a  large  force  was  in  their  front.  Gen.  Hancock  gave  us  great  praise 
for  it.  So  quickly  was  it  done  that  but  few  casualties  occurred. 
Cooke  was  hit  on  right  thigh  by  a  spent  bullet,  cutting  clothing  and 
breaking  a  pocket  knife,  badly  bruising  but  not  disabling  him. 

K  took  part  in  another  charge  on  May  8th  at  Todd's  Tavern,  but 
suffered  terribly  there.  Comrade  Isaac  Miller  says  that  it  was  known 
as  the  "Cracker  Fight,"  because  Commissary  Noble  was  in  the  act 
of  issuing  rations  of  crackers  when  the  onset  came.  Cooke  says  that 
the  i4Oth  (except  K  and  another  Company)  were  on  picket,  under 
Capt.  McCullough.  K  and  the  other  Company  were  lying  in  the 
edge  of  a  woods,  along  which  a  road  ran,  turning  into  the  woods 
just  where  they  lay;  and  the  rebels  came  up  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  valley  and  opened  fire.  Gen.  Miles,  riding  along,  was  compelled 
to  seek  shelter.  Abram  Andrews  of  K  was  struck  and  bruised  some 
As  Gen.  Miles  passed  on,  Col.  Br^dy  thought  he  would  do  some 
thing,  and  ordered  part  of  his  Regiment,  lying  to  the  right,  to  charge 
out  over  an  open  field  in  our  front  and  down  into  the  valley  in  open 
view  of  the  rebels.  Then  he  ordered  our  two  companies  to  charge 
out  on  the  left  of  his  men,  and  to  cheer  as  we  went  in.  And  there  in 
one  volley  many  of  K  fell.  Cooke  was  first  in  file.  The  one  in  his 
rear  and  six  to  his  left  were  killed  or  wounded.  The  killed  were 
John  Maloy  and  John  W.  Tucker.  Many  of  the  wounded  were  left 
on  the  field,  as  the  Union  lines  were  pushed  back.  I  canot  refrain 
from  relating  what  Isaac  Miller  told  me  in  a  letter  written  Aug.  19, 
'04.  A  sad  story,  indeed!  He  was  severely  wounded  in  leg  and 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  35 

thigh.  Was  at  the  foot  of  the  Company.  John  Maloy  was  at  the 
head;  and  both  fell  and  lay  the  Company's  length  apart.  Maloy 
was  wounded  about  in  same  place  as  Miller.  They  could  not  move, 
but  could  talk  to  each  other.  Miller  lay  there  for  five  days,  then  the 
rebels  carried  him  back  to  a  barn  and  later  to  their  field  hospital. 
He  plead  for  Maloy.  But  they  said  he  was  too  far  gone.  On  the 
eighth  day  he  died,  so  they  told  Miller ;  and  then,  at  Miller's  appeal, 
they  promised  to  bury  him.  Who  could  keep  the  tears  back  when 
told  of  how  one  of  our  brave  comrades  thus  gave  up  his  life  in  the 
service  of  his  country  ?  It  is  some  relief  to  hear  it  whispered  that  in 
those  long  days  of  suffering  some  ladies  of  the  farm  did  what  they 
could  to  care  for  him  and  others  like  him.  Let  us  hope  it  was  so, 
and  that  the  angels  of  God's  love  comforted  him. 

Cooke  says  that  Tucker  fell  before  him  at  the  rail  fence  where 
we  stopped  to  fire,  pierced  in  the  temple  by  a  ball,  and  there  George 
Sprowls  had  his  hair  combed  by  a  ball  that  took  the  cap  from  his 
head.  Cooke  adds,  "Then  came  the  order  to  fall  back  to  main  line. 
It  was  a  beautiful  but  sorrowful  Sabbath  day.  Then  came  the  Po 
river  excursion,  where  the  whole  line  in  the  darkness  fired  at  a  dog — 
the  artillery  duel,  where  a  number  of  our  boys  perished  as  we  lay 
behind  our  battery.  Then  the  all  night  march  through  the  rain  and 
mud  to  Spotsylvania — the  massing  of  troops,  and,  at  early  dawn,  the 
famous  charge  of  the  2nd  Corps,  through  the  open  fields  upon  the 
rebel  breast-works,  over  them  and  along  them  to  the  right,  capturing 
two  batteries,  three  Generals, '  with  Johnson's  whole  Division  as 
prisoners;  on  down  works  to  right,  then  out  towards  enemy's  sec 
ond  line.  Murky,  foggy,  no  rebels  to  be  seen,  but  balls  flying  thick 
as  evidence  of  their  presence ;  when  thud !  a  ball  took  me  in  the  right 
side  and  arm,  whirling  me  round  and  down.  I  was  just  crawling 
toward  the  protection  of  a  small  earthwork  in  the  rear  of  the  main 
works  when  I  looked  up  and  saw  George  Ralston  coming  along.  He 
helped  me  back  as  far  as  the  provo  guard,  passing  on  our  way  Jim 
Cummins,  wounded  through  both  thighs.  It  was  the  last  seen  of  the 
brave  recruit  of  16  years.  Ralston  left  me  sitting  with  my  back 
against  a  tree.  Then  a  drummer  boy  helped  me  back  to  an  empty 


36  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

army  wagon  used  as  an  ambulance.  As  chance  would  have  it,  Will 
Powelson,  also  wounded,  got  into  same  wagon  and  rode  to  the 
Corps  hospital.  We  kept  together  until  we  got  to  hospital  at  Pitts- 
burg,  Pa.,  and  remained  together  till  he  went  back  to  the  Regiment. 
A  splendid  friend.  That  ride  in  an  army  wagon  with  an  ounce  ball 
grinding  around  near  my  back  bone  was  the  most  excrusiating  ex 
perience  I  ever  had.  I  have  the  ball  yet.  Can  say  I  caught  one 
ball  and  stopped  another  in  those  two  innings.  How  many  I  struck 
out  I  do  not  know." 

On  receiving  an  intimation  of  a  little  coup  de  maitre  on  the 
part  of  Corp'l  Cooke  that  eventful  morning,  I  wrote  him,  insisting 
on  knowing  about  it.  I  will  here  relate  only  the  bare  facts.  Cooke 
was  alone  when  he  mounted  a  portion  of  the  breast-works,  where 
there  were  transverse  sections  about  every  24  feet  and  running  back 
about  20  feet.  One  of  our  officers  had  been  shot  down  who  at 
tempted  going  over  just  before  he  did.  As  Cooke  reached  the  top 
he  saw  about  20  Johnnies  back  against  the  muddy  excavations,  wav 
ing  their  hats  and  cheering  vociferously.  He  looked  as  fierce  as  he 
could  and  yelled,  "Get  back  here !"  pointing  to  our  rear,  and  those 
Jonnies  as  one  man  obeyed,  going  over  the  works  as  directed  like 
as  many  monkeys;  and,  as  he  turned  to  look,  they  were  going  pell 
mell  for  our  rear,  never  looking  back.  He  says  he  could  never  de 
vise  a  satisfactory  explanation  of  their  actions.  But  he  knows  of 
the  fact,  and  feels  confident  that  he  helped  to  swell  the  number  of 
prisoners  that  morning. 

K's  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  that  day  amounted  to  more  than 
one-third  of  those  engaged.  There  were  four  killed :  The  Cummins 
brothers,  Benjamin  and  James;  Joseph  Guess  and  John  Makeown — 
all  most  excellent  soldiers,  as  were  the  two  killed  on  the  8th  of 
May.  This  reduced  the  number  on  our  roll  to  58.  Among  the 
severely  wounded  was  George  Sprowls,  who  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy.  Thus  our  losses  from  the  ranks  on  May  8th  to  I2th 
were :  6  killed,  16  wounded,  and  of  the  wounded  two  were  prisoners 
— Isaac  Miller  and  George  Sprowls. 

During  that  fearful  day  of  struggle  in  the  "Bloody  Angle,"  a 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  37 

detail  was  called  for  from  Brigade  headquarters,  out  of  the  i4Oth — 
two  from  K —  to  bring  off  the  cannon  the  rebels  had  left  in  their 
flight  when  Hancock  charged  the  Salient,  but  which  were  now  be 
tween  the  lines.  Abram  Andrews  and  Norris  Metcalf  volunteered 
from  K,  and  they  did  their  share  of  shouting  when  the  feat  was 
accomplished. 

During  the  next  31  days,  which  brought  the  2nd  Corps  through 
a  number  of  hard  marches,  hotly  contested  skirmishes  and  battles  to 
the  south  side  of  the  James  river,  K  bore  an  honorable  part.  At  the 
time  the  army  was  withdrawn  to  the  north  side  of  the  North  Anna 
river,  in  view  of  a  change  of  base,  K  came  near  having  a  part  of  its 
number  gobbled  up  by  the  rebels.  As  the  army  was  retiring,  K  then 
in  command  of  Lieut.  Kerr,  was  among  the  troops  that  covered  the 
movement,  and  were  deployed  on  northern  bank  as  pickets  or  skir 
mishers.  The  south  side  bank  was  25  or  30  feet  higher  than  the 
north  one,  and  was  lined  with  old  rifle  pits.  The  rebels  followed  and 
occupied  these,  from  which  they  kept  up  a  lively  fire  for  some  time. 
George  Hanlin  says  that  the  river  was  narrow,  60  or  70  feet  wide, 
and  K's  line  had  no  protection  but  a  few  trees,  which  they  hugged 
tighter  than  they  did  their  sweethearts  as  they  bid  them  adieu  when 
first  off  for  war,  and  could  only  take  a  shot  now  and  then.  Those 
good  old  trees !  We  see  them  yet,  and  we'll  never  forget  them  while 
memory  holds  her  throne.  Late  in  the  day  the  enemy  ceased  firing. 
On  a  reconnoitering,  the  true  condition  was  found  out.  Earlier  in 
the  day  (as  ascertained  later)  the  order  had  been  given  calling  off 
the  pickets.  This  was  to  be  done  stealthily.  From  individual  to  in 
dividual  the  word  was  to  be  quietly  passed — '"fall  back  to  rear."  All 
went  well  till  it  came  to  George  Johnson,  who  was  hard  of  hearing 
and  did  not  catch  the  command,  nor  was  he  in  a  position  to  notice 
the  withdrawing.  So  he  and  all  those  in  the  Company  that  were  to 
his  right  were  left.  Having  no  orders  to  retire,  they  staid  at  their 
posts.  So,  near  sunset,  being  assured  by  two  negroes,  who  had 
crossed  the  river,  tfiat  the  Johnnies  "had  sure  done  gone,"  they  got 
together,  Ralston  taking  command.  All  were  at  sea,  not  knowing 
where  the  Regiment  had  gone.  But  they  went  directly  back  from  the 


38  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

river.  A  few  miles  on  they  saw  in  camp  some  cavalry.  Ralston 
approached  them  to  ascertain  whether  friends  or  foes.  Happily  he 
found  friends,  and  gave  the  'all  right"  signal  to  the  boys.  It  was 
Gen.  Gregg's  Cavalry,  and  he  directed  the  boys  to  remain  with  his 
command  till  their  Regiment  could  be  located.  This  was  done  the 
third  day  after,  when  the  Brigade  was  in  vicinity  of  Rural  Plains, 
and  they  were  in  time  for  a  hand  in  the  fight  at  To/bpotomy  Creek. 
Then  they  were,  in  a  few  days,  in  the  battles  fought  at  Cold  Harbor. 
In  one  of  these  Andrew  Chester  was  severely  wounded  in  left  leg, 
and  was  disabled  from  further  active  service. 

The  1 5th  of  June  found  K  with  the  Regiment,  after  a  forced 
march,  fighting  for  the  possession  of  Petersburg.  But  that  was  too 
important  a  place  for  the  rebels,  a  key  to  Richmond,  and,  having 
the  inside  way,  they  were  there  in  force  to  resist. 

In  the  campaign  from  the  Wilderness  to  the  James,  K  had  6 
killed  and  17  wounded,  or  more  than  half  the  number  actually  in 
line  of  battle.  But  the  Company  was  good  for  service  yet,  and 
formed  an  integral  part  of  the  hosts  that  fastened  themselves  about 
Petersburg.  About  this  time  Capt.  Stockton  returned,  and  the 
orderly  sergeant  came  back  on  the  3Oth  day  of  June,  having  passed 
an  examination  as  First  Class  Lieutenant. 

At  3  o'clock,  morning  of  July  25th,  we  are  on  the  march,  cross 
ing  the  Appomattox  on  pontoons,  two  miles  above  City  Point,  and, 
guided  by  fires,  we  push  on  and  cross  the  James  at  Curl's  Neck  on 
muffled  pontoons.  Find  ourselves  in  support  of  the  26th  Michigan 
and  2nd  Heavy  Artillery  in  a  charge  on  the  enemy's  works,  which 
are  captured  with  a  battery  of  four  heavy  guns.  James  H.  Fordyce 
was  wounded,  having  a  thumb  shot  off.  Well  we  remember  our 
sylvan  camp  retreat  that  night — the  sound  sleep,  for  oh,  how  tired 
we  were.  In  line  by  3  o'clock  in  the  morning — later  move  to  right 
and  entrenching  for  security,  a  general  line  being  formed.  In  the 
afternoon  of  the  27th  it  was  noticed  that  the  rebels  were  striking 
tents  and  moving  to  their  right.  Gen.  Miles  called  upon  Capt.  Stock 
ton  to  send  some  men  out  to  scout  for  an  hour  to  ascertain  the  pur 
port  or  extent  of  this  movement.  Serg't  B.  F.  Powelson  with  three 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  39 

other  men  responded,  who  went  some  distance  to  the  right,  making 
the  discovery  that  the  rebels  were  aiming  to  turn  our  flank.  From  a 
tree  the  sergeant  could  see  a  distance  into  the  enemy's  country,  but 
no  very  large  amount  of  troops.  The  attack  made  by  the  rebels  in 
about  an  hour  was  successfully  checked,  and,  at  2  o'clock  next  morn 
ing  our  part  of  the  Brigade,  serving  as  rear  guard,  quietly  stole 
away  and  followed  our  troops,  who  had  recrossed  the  river  during 
the  night,  returning  by  night  to  our  old  quarters  back  of  Petersburg. 
The  object  of  this  movement  by  our  Corps  was  a  ruse  to  draw  and 
hold  the  enemy's  forces  north  of  river,  while,  in  the  blowing  up  of  a 
fort,  entrance  to  Petersburg  might  be  made. 

The  heat  becoming  intense  in  camp,  we  indulged  ourselves  in 
building  arbors  for  protection,  each  Company  by  turns  using  the 
Regimental  baggage  wagon.  On  this  occasion  Co.  K  was  officially 
complimented  as  having  the  best  shade  and  cleanest  quarters. 

Then  came  heavy  fatigue  work  in  trenches  and  parallels.  Six 
hours  on  and  six  hours  off,  day  and  night.  K's  sober  boys  will  re 
member  the  deep  study  as  to  what  use  to  make  of  some  hot  whiskey 
issued  for  stimulants.  Some  tried  stewing  their  hard  tack  in  it.  It 
did  not  prove  of  much  value. 

In  some  of  the  fighting  about  Petersburg  George  Johnson  was 
wounded,  but  not  seriously.  Oftimes  the  cannonading  was  terrific, 
and  we  were  maneuvring  much  and  there  was  constant  activity. 

When  the  Second  Corps,  on  Aug.  12,  '64,  dropped  out  of  their 
places  about  Petersburg,  K  withstood  well  that  fearful  jaunt  to 
City  Point,  though  the  writer  must  confess  that,  owing  to  the  ex 
treme  heat  and  dust  it  was  "nip  and  tuck"  with  many  of  us.  While 
awaiting  transports  here,  on  the  morning  of  the  1 3th,  the  writer  and 
Sergeant  Graham  visited  the  ist  Division  hispotal  to  see  Miss  Mary 
Vance,  a  lady  from  Cross  Creek,  Pa.,  whom  Co.  K  claimed,  and  who 
all  through  the  war  gave  her  means,  time  and  strength  in  unceasing, 
disinterested  ministrations  to  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  We 
were  also  favored  with  meeting  Miss  Hancock,  of  New  York,  well 
known  as  a  lady  of  unceasing  patriotic  zeal. 

Co.  K  shared  in  the  surpirse,  when,  on  the  morning  of  the  I4th, 


40  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

we  disembarked  and  found  ourselves  in  the  locality  we  occupied  on 
the  26th  of  July,  in  Deep  Bottom.  And  now  for  the  first  time  for 
many  of  us  we  have  opportunity  of  seeing  that  plain,  quiet  leader, 
Gen.  Grant,  Hancock's  headquarters  being  near  where  K  was  left 
with  the  colors,  while  the  Regiment  was  on  the  skirmish  line.  For  a 
good  part  of  the  time  in  this  second  Deep  Bottom  expedition,  Capt. 
Stockton  had  command  of  the  Regiment.  Co.  K  and  part  of  Co.  D 
were  out  on  picket  the  second  night,  out  on  the  Division's  advanced 
position  to  the  right,  and  to  those  who  still  survive  there  come  vivid 
recollections  of  how  we  made  the  most  and  best  of  our  situation, 
there  being  a  home  in  the  vicinity,  with  its  fruit  trees,  a  corn  field 
and  a  sweet  potato  patch.  Only  things  were  appropriated  as  seemed 
necessary.  Magill  can  tell  you  what  a  good  supper  he  and  the 
"Orderly"  had  together.  Lieut.  Burns,  in  charge,  and  myself  are 
known  to  have  had  a  dry  place  on  which  to  sleep  a  while — a  stable 
door,  only  borrowed.  It  was  on  the  next  day  we  shared  in  that  two 
miles  charge,  the  Confederate  Gen.  Chambliss'  corpse  being  passed 
over  by  K  in  its  advance,  and  we  reached  a  point  about  six  miles 
from  Richmond.  The  rebels  became  alarmed  and  are  heavily  rein 
forced.  This  was  the  object  of  this  movement — to  divert  attention 
and  hold  the  rebel  troops,  while  the  5th  Corps  secures  a  foothold  on 
the  Welden  railroad  south  of  Petersburg.  Protecting  ourselves  from 
being  flanked,  and  the  purpose  of  our  maenuvers  having  been  ac 
complished,  on  the  night  of  the  2Oth  the  James  was  recrossed.  Dur 
ing  1 8th,  Capt.  Stockton  being  in  hospital  sick,  Capt.  Pipes  as 
sumed  command  of  the  Regiment,  and  on  the  2Oth  Capt.  Henry  took 
command.  We,  of  K,  well  remember  that  never-to-be-forgotten 
tramp,  tramp  all  the  night  of  the  2Oth,  through  darkness,  rain  and 
mud ;  awful  and  yet  laughable,  when  men  get  lost,  when  hats,  shoes, 
caps,  etc.,  disappeared,  as  the  boys  stumbled  on  in  brush  and  dark 
ness.  But  we  reach  our  old  camping  ground  at  Petersburg,  only 
to  find  things  torn  up.  But  what  matters !  for  Uncle  Sam  has  other 
work  for  the  valiant  2nd  Corps,  and  off  we  set  for  the  flank  move 
ment  on  the  Welden  railroad,  the  seizing  of  this  road  being  the  main 
purpose  in  the  movements.  Co.  K  well  remembers,  too,  the  part  it 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  41 

took  in  the  tearing  up  of  the  railroad  and  its  corn  roasts  over  the 
fires  of  burning  ties ;  and  in  the  Ream  Station  engagement  on  Aug. 
25th,  in  the  opening  of  which  the  i4Oth  had  special  work  assigned  it 
in  the  rear  and  on  right,  and  our  experience  that  night  in  falling  back 
to  a  point  south  of  Petersburg  near  the  Weldon  railroad,  where  sub 
stantial  works  were  constructed. 

At  this  point,  Sept.  27,  '64,  K  lost  the  First  Sergeant,  B.  F. 
Powelson,  who  was  discharged  to  accept  a  First  Lieutenancy  in  Co. 
G,  41  st  U.  S.  C.  T.  It  was  a  struggle  to  break  away  from  comrades 
who  had  become  so  dear  through  so  many  days  of  true  soldier  life. 
And  I  well  remember  that  I  almost  gave  up  to  my  feelings.  Cor 
poral  George  Ralston  was  promoted  First  Sergeant,  and  George  A. 
Hanlin,  corporal  in  Ralston's  place. 

In  the  subsequent  operations  of  the  Regiment,  during  the  re 
mainder  of  1864,  Co.  K  bore  well  its  part  in  the  general  movement 
of  the  left  of  the  Union  army  the  2/th  of  October,  flanking  the  rebel 
works  at  Armstrong's  Mill,  on  Hatcher's  Run,  and  in  the  fighting, 
amid  the  rigors  of  winter,  on  Hatcher's  Run  Dec.  8th  to  iQth,  Com 
panies  D  and  K,  under  Capt.  Linton,  doing  special  guard  duty  before 
and  about  Ft.  Fisher.  Again  in  the  early  days  of  February,  '65,  in 
repelling  the  enemy  in  an  attack  on  our  position  about  Dabney's  Mill, 
Hatcher's  Run.  And  K  shared  in  the  marked  vigilance  of  camp  life 
in  close  proximity  to  a  strong  and  alert  enemy  through  the  winter, 
and  also  in  the  expectancy  of  an  early  spring  campaign.  The  Com 
pany  had  lost  others  from  her  roll  as  follows :  William  A.  Jackson, 
discharged  Nov.  2,  '64;  Jesse  J.  Morris,  transferred  to  principal 
musician  in  the  Regiment,  Dec.  22,  '64 ;  Henry  Dickson,  transferred 
to  Veteran  Rerserve  Corps;  David  McC.  Pry,  transferred  Feb.  6, 
'65,  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps;  Johnson  Toppin,  Feb.  6,  '65,  trans 
ferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps;  Norris  Metcalf,  died  March  17, 
'65,  chronic  diarrhoea,  at  home  near  Eldersville,  Pa.,  and  buried  in 
Bethel  church  cemetery.  Two  names  of  persons  coming  in  as  re 
cruits  had  been  added  to  the  roll :  Frank  Stiver,  from  West  Vir 
ginia,  enrolled  as  private  Sept.  22,  '64,  and  George  A.  Reed,  Cross 
Creek,  Pa.,  enrolled  as  private  Feb.  27,  '65.  The  number  on  the  roll 


42  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

March  20,  1865,  was  53.  Of  this  number  Lieut.  Cook,  Isaac  Miller 
and  George  Sprowls  were  in  rebel  prisons ;  Wm.  Rea,  Wm.  Hanlin, 
Jos.  Corbin,  Serg't  Boyd,  Robert  Dungan,  D.  J.  Butterfoss,  Silas 
Cooke,  Andrew  Chester,  B.  F.  Hawthorn,  George  Reed,  James  Wor- 
stell  and  Robert  Meldoon  were  in  hospitals  or  serving  in  the  Vet 
eran  Reserve  Corps.  This  would  leave  38  on  the  front.  Lieut. 
Sweeney  was  on  Division  headquarters  staff  duty,  and  several  were 
on  detached  or  special  duty.  So  that  only  about  30  were  present  in 
line  of  battle. 

On  D.  McC.  Pry's  transfer,  Feb.  6,  '65,  Marshall  Wright  was 
promoted  to  corporal. 

On  the  advance  of  the  2nd  Corps,  on  March  25,  '65,  the  final 
campaign  opened.  That  day  brought  sadness  to  Co.  K.  Great  ac 
tivity  was  manifest  in  both  contending  armies.  The  Federal  army 
was  moving  in  arranging  its  forces  for  a  forward  movement  to  more 
closely  invest  the  Confederates.  They  were  desperate  in  defence  and 
were  trying  sorties  to  break  away.  The  rifle  shooting  from  the 
trenches  was  close.  Serg't  Smith  Graham  was  instantly  killed,  his 
forehead  pierced  with  the  ball  of  some  sharp  shooter.  He  was  car 
ried  back  itno  camp  and  laid  in  his  bunk.  It  was  a  sad  blow  to  the 
Company  for  "Smith"  was  held  in  very  high  esteem.  As  the  army 
was  all  astir,  he  was  buried  near  Fort  Welch,  and  so  far  as  known 
his  body  found  there  its  permanent  resting  place. 

John  A.  McCalmont  was  made  sergeant  in  Graham's  stead,  and 
Abram  Andrews  was  promoted  to  be  corporal,  taking  the  place  of 
McCalmont. 

Then  followed  the  stern  activites  which  soon  brought  the  fall 
of  Richmond,  Co.  K  participating  in  the  five  days'  constant  struggle, 
crowned  with  the  brilliant  dash  of  Gen.  Miles'  Division  (our  Divis 
ion)  at  Sunderland  Station,  April  2nd.  And,  Richmond  having 
fallen,  Co.  K  had  its  liberal  share  in  the  experiences  in  the  rapid  and 
close  pursuit  of  Gen.  Lee's  army,  in  the  battles  of  Tailor's  Creek  and 
Farmville — in  the  foraging  in  line  of  battle  as  in  hot  pursuit  they 
passed  through  a  well  stocked  plantation  at  Tailor's  Creek,  and  in  the 
distribution  of  Confederate  money  and  other  spoils  of  war  in  the 


i4oTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  43 

trains  captured  in  the  Farmville  battle.  In  this  latter  conflict  Sear- 
gents  Ralston  and  McCalmont  and  Corporal  Abe  Andrews  were 
taken  prisoners  and  held  till  Lee's  surrender.  They  were  asked  or 
rather  ordered  to  give  up  their  shoes  and  other  effects.  This  they 
did  in  part,  when  talking  and  parleying  would  not  avail.  Ralston, 
through  an  officer,  secured  a  pledge  for  the  return  of  his  watch  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  when  released  he  hunted  up  the  party  and 
secured  the  return  of  his  effects. 

When  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army  took  place  Co.  K  was  on  the 
advanced  line,  on  the  road  leading  into  Appomattox  C.  H.  from  the 
east,  and  when  Gen.  Lee  rode  back  through  the  lines  toward  Rich 
mond  they  stood  in  silence,  with  heads  uncovered,  as  he  passed. 

The  war  practically  over,  K  marched  leisurely  back  with  the 
Regiment  to  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  took  part  in  the  grand  review, 
being  formally  mustered  out  near  Alexandria,  Va.,  May  31,  1865. 

The  following,  according  to  official  records,  is  the  final  disinte 
gration  of  the  Company : 

Lieut.  William  B.  Cook,  discharged  May  17,  1865,  by  order  of 
the  Secretary  of  War. 

William  M.  Rea,  discharged  May  19,  1865,  on  Surgeon's  certifi 
cate  of  disability. 

Corporal  William  Hanlin,  discharged  May  20,  1865,  G.  O.  77 
of  office  of  Adjutant  General. 

Joseph  Corbin,  discharged  May  20,  1865,  G.  O.  77  of  office  of 
Adjutnat  General. 

Robert  Meldoon,  discharged  May  20,  1865,  G.  O.  77  of  office  of 
Adjutant  General. 

Second  Serg't  Milton  R.  Boyd,  honorably  discharged  May  27, 
1865. 

Robert  B.  Dungan,.  honorably  discharged  May  29,  1865. 

George  Reed,  transferred  to  53rd  Reg't  P.  V.,  S.  O.  136  A.  of 
P.,  May  30,  '65. 

Daniel  J.  Butterfoss,  discharged  from  hospital  about  time  Com 
pany  mustured  out. 


44  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

George  Sprowls,  died,  drowned  on  Chesapeake  Bay  in  sinking 
of  a  transport. 

Then  the  37  mustered  out  with  the  Regiment,  May  31,  '65,  near 
Alexandria,  Va.,  follows:  Capt.  Wm.  A.  F.  Stockton,  ist  Lieut. 
Alexander  Sweeney,  Jr.,  ist  Serg't  George  Ralston,  3rd  Serg't  Ed 
ward  S.  Alexander,  4th  Serg't  Wm.  R.  H.  Powelson,  5th  Serg't 
John  A.  McCalmont;  Corporals  James  C.  Lyle,  Abram  Andrews, 
James  K.  P.  Magill,  George  A.  Hanlin,  Marshall  Wright  and  Will 
iam  Porter;  Musician  George  W.  McConnell;  Privates  James  B. 
Allison,  Peter  Andrews,  James  Arthurs,  James  S.  Berryhill,  Lazarus 
Briggs,  George  W.  Carter,  Jesse  M.  Carter,  James  E.  Cochran, 
Ezra  Conaway,  James  H.  Fordyce,  William  M.  Geary,  George  W, 
Johnson,  Robert  McClurg,  Benjamin  McCullough,  Owen  McElfish, 
Colin  R.  Nickeson,  Robert  A.  Pry,  William  Scott,  Nathaniel  Seese, 
Oliver  Staley,  Frank  Stiver,  William  Stollar,  Ulysses  S.  Wheeler 
and  Thomas  Wilkin. 

Isaac  Miller,  discharged  June  15,  1865,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 
Benjamin  L.  Hawthorn,  discharged  June  17,  1865,  Washington, 
D.  C. 

Andrew  Chester,  discharged  July  3,  1865,  hospital,  Philadelphia. 
Silas  Cooke,  ist  Corporal,  discharged  July  3,  1865,  Cincinnati,  O. 
James  Worstell,  discharged  July  5,  1865,  Cincinnati,  O. 
Jesse  J.  Morris  and  Thomas  L.  Noble  were  mustered  out  with 
the  Regiment.    John  F.  Gardner  and  James  L.  Noah  had  final  dis 
charge  when  artillery  mustered  out.     Geo.  Reed,  when  the  53rd  P, 
V.  was  mustered  out.     David  McC.  Pry,  John  W.  Nickeson,  Isaac 
Chisholm,  Henry  Dickson  and  Johnson  Toppin  were  finally  released 
when  their  Regiments  in  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  were  disbanded. 
On  muster  out  Co.  K,  with  the  i4Oth,  was  ordered  to  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  for  final  pay  and  discharge.     Our  feelings  are  readily  recalled 
when  we  arrived  at  Pittsburg,  where  in  '62  we  had  been  mustered 
in.     Oh,  what  changes  wrought  in  three  years !     Then  three  com 
missioned  officers  and  93  enlisted  men,  and  5  recruits  had  joined  us. 
Now  only  37  present,  12  had  been  killed  in  action;  4  died  of  wounds; 
10  died  of  sickness.     Thirty-seven  had  been  wounded.     Many  had 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


45 


been  discharged  on  account  of  disability.  Others  had  been  trans 
ferred  to  other  commands  and  service,  some  of  whom  had  made  good 
records  for  themselves.  Many  had  gone  out  beardless  boys,  but  now 
returned  well  trained  men.  All  are  eager  now  to  quit  the  service 
and  to  return  to  their  several  avocations  in  a  blessed  reign  of  peace 
in  a  nation  saved,  a  Union  preserved.  The  songs  of  farewell  are 
hastily  sung,  and  Co.  K  becomes  a  thing  of  the  past,  each  going  his 
own  way,  some  never  again  to  look  into  each  other's  faces,  but  a 
tie  of  comradship  binding  all  hearts  together  that  no  period  of  time 
can  break.. 


46  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 


Sketches  of  Those  Who  Have  Died  Since  the  War. 


And  as  the  years  have  come  and  gone  since  the  disbanding,  Com 
pany  K's  servivors  have  ever  done  their  part  in  the  reunions  and 
camp  fires  held  by  the  Regiment.  But  so  widely  scattered  have  they 
become  that  only  a  few  each  year  have  been  able  to  answer  to  their 
names  on  such  occasions.  In  nearly  a  dozen  states  the  present  living 
are  to  be  found. 

We  cast  a  look  back  to  the  time  K  was  disbanded,  and,  when 
asked  where  are  Co.  K's  101  members  ?  we  find  the  numbering  to  be : 
12  killed  in  action;  14  died  in  the  service;  2  deserted  and  their  names 
are  lost  to  us;  31  have  died  since,  and  42  are  living  yet.  The  killed 
and  died  in  service  have  already  been  mentioned.  And  the  names 
of  the  two  deserters  have  passed  from  us. 

So  many  years  have  passed  with  their  burden  of  business,  do 
mestic  and  other  duties  and  of  engrossing  anxieties ;  so  much  have 
memory's  faculties  yielded  to  the  demands  made  upon  them  as  that 
it  has  become  difficult  to  recall  details  in  experience  in  those  crowded 
years  of  service,  that  the  task  of  gathering  data  for  presenting  to  the 
public  a  just  and  impartial  record  of  each  one  of  K's  members  has 
been  found  a  very  difficult  one ;  and,  despite  the  writer's  most  earnest 
and  persistent  efforts  through  many  months  of  time  in  search  of 
necessary  information,  he  regrets  his  inability  to  secure  such  data 
as  he  in  some  cases  longed  for.  But  so  far  as  was  within  his  power 
he  has  given  the  records  impartially,  full  and  correct  to  the  best  of 
his  information.  Nothing  would  he  not  have  done  to  serve  his  com 
rades,  each  one  of  whom  was  dear  to  him,  and  to  each  of  whom  he 
ever  felt  allied  as  to  a  brother.  Gladly  does  he  make  mention  of  any 
thing  to  the  credit  or  honor  of  any  one  in  a  Company  that  sustained 
so  worthy  a  record  as  did  K,  than  which,  he  hesitates  not  to  assert, 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  47 

no  other  was  superior  in  point  of  excellence,  in  faithful,  devoted, 
heroic  service  to  our  beloved  country. 

With  a  feeling  of  sadness  and  in  sorrow  we  record  the  list  of 
those  31  who  died  since  the  Company  was  disbanded  in  June,  1865. 

1.  William  M.  Geary,  from  Candor,  Pa.,  was  almost  constantly 
with  the  Company,  responding  cheerfully  to  every  call  to  duty,  ex 
emplary  in  his  conduct.    He  was  one  of  five,  who  though  in  all  the 
battles,  yet  escaped  injury.     But  the  severities  of  the  service  shat 
tered  his  constitution,  and  he  was  the  first  to  fall  after  the  return. 
He   suffered   terribly  from  ulceration   of   the   bowels;   but  loving 
friends,  among  them  Jno.  A.  McCalmont,  and  other  of  his  comrades 
tenderly  cared  for  him.    He  died  June  25,  1866,  and  was  buried  in 
the  home  cemetery  at  Candor. 

2.  Colin  R.  Nickeson  ,of  Claysville,  proved  himself  a  worthy 
soldier.     He  was  severely  wounded  in  the  breast  on  July  2,  '63,  at 
Gettysburg.     He  also  suffered  some  from  illness.     When  the  Com 
pany  disbanded  at  Pittsburg  he  returned  to  his  home  in  East  Finley 
Township.    But  he  virtually  had  given  his  life  to  his  country,  for  he 
died  from  the  effects  of  wound  and  the  severities  of  service,  April 
8,  1867,  among  his  home  friends. 

3.  Second  Lieutenant  William  B.  Cook,  Candor,  practically  sac 
rificed  his  life  on  our  country's  altar.    He  was  taken  prisoner  July 
2,  '63,  and  confined  in  Libby  prison,  never  getting  back  to  the  Com 
pany.    He  was  among  those  who  through  a  tunnel  tried  to  escape, 
but  was  recaptured.     When  discharged  in  May,  '65,  he  returned 
home.     But  his  strength  was  undermined.    He  entered  on  the  prac 
tice  of  law  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.     But  from  lung  trouble  he  died  Dec. 
30,  1870. 

4.  Harrison  McConnell,  Paris,  eager  to  be  with  those  who  went 
out  to  defend  the  Union,  slipped  into  the  service,  being  duly  en 
rolled  as  a  member  of  K,  and  got  as  far  as  Falmouth,  Va.    But,  he 
being  a  minor,  his  parents  appealed  to  the  U.  S.  Courts ;  and  through 
the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  his  friends  took  him  from  the 
camp  to  Washington  City,  where  a  discharge  was  secured  for  him. 
Afterwards  through  the  recommendation  of  Senator  Cameron,  he  did 


48  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

service  in  Washington  City  up  to  time  of  illness  resulting  in  his 
death,  save  one  year  in  which  he  was  a  clerk  in  the  West  Virginia 
House  of  Representatives.  He  died  at  home,  near  Paris,  Pa.,  July 
17,  1872,  and  was  buried  at  Florence,  Pa. 

5.  James   S.   Berryhill,   "Sans"  as  he  was   familiarly  known, 
Cross  Creek,  was  ever  a  ready  soldier  and  companionable  fellow  on 
march,  in  battle  or  in  camp.    He  faced  the  music  all  the  way,  and 
came  through  without  injury.     But  one  Sabbath  morning,  July  19, 
1874,  in  endeavoring  to  board  a  freight  train  at  Dinsmore  Crossing, 
Panhandle  railroad,  on  his  way  to  Sabbath  school,  he  was  accident 
ally  killed,  and  his  mangled  body  was  given  a  true  soldier's  burial  in 
the  old  graveyard  at  Burgettstown,  Pa. 

6.  George  Ralston,  of  Claysville,  made  a  corporal  in  the  organi 
zation  of  the  Company,  entered  the  ranks  of  soldiery  with  a  truly 
loyal  heart,  leaving  his  profession  of  teaching.    With  the  exception 
of  several  weeks  in  the  hospital  in  '63,  he  "weathered  the  storm" 
with  the  Company  till  the  end.    Was  promoted  to  First  Sergeant  on 

B.  F.  Powelson's  leaving  K  to  accept  a  position  in  another  Regi 
ment.    But  the  "wear  and  tear"  of  the  service  must  have  made  in 
roads  on  his  vitality,  for  after  a  brief  life  at  home  with  wife  and 
children,  he  died  from  consumption,  Aug.  28,  1874,  and  was  buried 
in  Claysville  cemetery. 

7.  Capt.  Wm.  A.  F.  Stockton,  Cross  Creek,  was  of  a  generous 
and  open-hearted  disposition,  and  served  with  faithfulness.    On  the 
29th  of  July,  '63,  he  was  detailed  and  sent  back  for  duty  at  the  Gen 
eral  Recruiting  Station  at  Pittsburg,  where  he  remained  until  the 
summer  of  64,  returning  to  command  of  K,  and  was  with  it  till  the 
Company  was  disbanded,  except  that  on  several  occasions,  by  virtue 
of  his  rank,  he  had  command  of  the  Regiment.     After  the  war  he 
embarked  in  raising  fruit  for  the  New  York  market,  in  Carituck,  N. 

C,  where  through  fever  he  died,  July  21,  1877,  and  was  buried  in  the 
old    Cross    Creek   village   graveyard.      He    was   brevetted    Major, 
April  9,  1865. 

8.  William  Porter,  West  Alexander,  quiet  and  unassuming,  but 
ever  ready  for  duty,  was  another  of  the  lucky  ones,  about  all  the  time 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  49 

with  the  Company,  yet  never  wounded.  He  was  promoted  to  be 
Corporal  in  the  room  of  Jno.  F.  Gardner,  transferred  to  an  artillery 
Company  Dec.  17,  '63.  In  the  quiet,  faithful  pursuit  of  his  business, 
while  alighting  from  a  horse,  he  was  accidentally  cut  in  the  neck  by 
a  chisel  and  quickly  died  from  the  wound  Dec.  16,  1883,  near  West 
Alexander,  Pa.,  in  whose  cemetery  he  lies  buried. 

9.  Milton  R.  Boyd,  2nd  Sergeant,  Claysville,  possessed  many 
of  the  qualities  of  a  good  soldier,  and  bore  well  his  part  through  the 
campaign  of  '63  and  early  part  of  '64.    But  the  severities  of  the  ser 
vice  were  too  much  for  him,  his  health  was  undermined,  and  in  latter 
part  of  term  of  service  he  was  unable  for  field  duty.    After  the  war 
was  ended  he  went  into  the  medical  profession,  entering  on  practice 
in  Silvan- Springs,  Arkansas.    He  died  in  that  place  from  congestion 
of  the  brain  May  2,  1884,  and  was  buried  there. 

10.  Johnson  Toppin,  Millsboro,  was  wounded  in  the  shoulder, 
Gettysburg,  second  day  of  July,  '63,  and  thereby  rendered  unfit  for 
active   service,   though    ever   ready   to   respond   to   calls   of   duty. 
Towards  the  close  he  was  transferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 
Little  is  known  to  us  of  him  after  discharge.    The  only  information 
obtained  was  that,  about  the  year  1884,  he  was  accidentally  drowned 
near  Pittsburg,  being  thrown  from  a  river  barge. 

11.  Robert  Meldoon,  West  Alexander,  faithfully  answered  to  all 
duty  up  to  Gettysburg.    There,  July  2,  '63,  he  was  wounded  in  face 
and  leg,  and  was  in  hospital  or  on  light  service  there  afterwards. 
Little  seems  known  or  could  be  found  out  of  him  after  his  discharge. 
He  was  killed  on  the  railroad  at  New  Castle,  Pa.,  in  June,  1885,  and 
was  buried  there. 

12.  William  A.  Ruffner,  Mound  City,  did  not  seem  to  be  physic 
ally  able  for  field  service.    When  marching  in  December,  1862,  to  the 
front,  he  gave  out,  and  after  some  time  spent  in  hospital,  he  was,  by 
direction  of  the  surgeon  in  charge,  discharged.    And  all  the  infor 
mation  we  were  able  to  glean  (and  that  comes  from  a  comrade  near 
est  to  him)  was  that  he  was  killed  sometime  in  1886,  in  the  coal 
mines  at  Coal  Bluff,  Washington  county,  Pa. 

13.  Robert  B.  Dungan,  Cross  Creek,  was  not  able  to  continue  in 


50  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

the  strenuous  service  to  which  the  Company  was  subjected.  He  was 
not  with  the  Company  during  latter  half  of  our  term  of  service,  but 
did  some  detail  duty  at  office  and  hospital.  And  after  muster  out  of 
service  he  suffered  from  disease  which  had  become  chronic  before  his 
discharge  from  the  army,  and  from  its  effects  he  died  in  Leaven- 
worth,  Kansas,  Feb.  27,  1888. 

14.  Thomas  L.  Noble,  Claysville,  enlisted  as  a  member  of  K, 
but  in  the  second  month  of  service  was  promoted  to  Commissary 
Sergeant  of  the  Regiment,  and  he  as  such  rendered  excellent  service, 
watchful  for  our  comforts  and  awake  to  our  interests.     "Tom,"  as 
he  was  known  throughout  the  command,  was  a  genius,  ready  in  wit 
and  full  of  fun,  and  never  failing,  after  (as  he  himself  said)  he  "got 
his  hand  in,"  to  see  that  the  i4Oth  and  specially  K,  received  our  full 
share  of  rations.    This  efficient  service  in  the  Q.  M.  Department,  sea 
soned  with  good  humor  and  a  generous  spirit,  was  followed  by  a  suc 
cessful  career  in  days  of  peace  and  prosperity.    He  engaged  in  real 
estate  and  insurance  business  in  the  west.    He  was  noted  as  a  strong 
and  influential  advocate  of  temperance.    His  orations  in  this  and  in 
Memorial  Day  services  were  characterized  with  ability  and  power. 
I  quote  here  with  pleasure  a  testimony  concerning  Tom,  given  at  a 
reunion  camp  fire  by  Comrade  "Sandy"  Acheson  (Capt.  Alex.  W. 
Acheson,  Co.  C)  :    "After  the  war  was  over  he  emigrated  to  Kansas, 
where  he  encountered  the  various   shades   of   fortune,   sometimes 
doing  well,  and  at  others  not,  until  at  last,  broken  in  health,  he 
floated  to  Texas.     One  day  I  was  summoned  hastily  to  see  him, 
when  I  found  him  already  dead  of  heart  disease.     With  all  of  the 
honors  a  G.  A.  R.  Post  could  bestow,  we  laid  him  to  rest,  beneath 
the  Bur-oaks  of  Texas,  to  await  the  reveille  which  will  summon  us 
all  together  at  the  last  day.    It  was  in  Dennison,  Texas,  he  died,  in 
the  month  of  September,  1890,  and  there  in  the  northeast  corner 
of  Oakwood  Cemetery  buried. 

15.  James  K.  McCurdy,  Eldersville,  when  he  enlisted  in  K  was 
a  practicing  physician.     He  was  soon  detailed  as  hospital  steward 
and  was  on  Feb.  17,  1864,  discharged  by  special  order  from  War 
Department,  and  transferred  to  the  I53rd  Regiment,  P.  V.,  being 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  51 

commissioned  Feb.  26,  '64,  as  Assistant  Surgeon,  and  served  as  such 
with  credit.    He  died  at  Burgettstown,  Pa.,  Aug  12,  1891. 

1 6.  Jesse  M.  Carter,  Millsboro,  was  a  worthy  soldier,  ever  faith 
ful  to  his  country's  service,  and  never  murmuring  against  the  hard 
ships  and  privations  incident  thereto.    He  was  wounded  on  May  12, 
'64,  but  after  recovery  from  wound  he  resumed  his  place  in  old  K 
to  "battle  manfully"  till  the  glorious  victory  was  won  and  Lee's 
army  was  no  more.    According  to  best  information  received  he  died 
some  time  in  1894. 

17.  Robert  Lyle,  Cross  Creek,  was  among  the  older  ones  form 
ing  the  membership  of  K.    He  had  the  true  spirit  of  service,  but  it 
soon  became  manifest  that  he  had  not  the  physical  strength  and  en 
durance  essential  to  active  warfare;  so  that  after  the  testing  in  the 
march  to  the  front  and  the  severities  of  duties  in  the  winter  season 
at  Falmouth,  Va.,  with  Lee's  army  across  the  river,  on  certificate  of 
the  Surgeon  he  was  discharged  from  service.    He  died  July  i,  1894, 
and  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Cross  Creek  Village,  Pa. 

1 8.  James  A.  Fordyce,  Claysville,  too,  was  a  man  somewhat 
advanced  in  years.    But  his  heart  was  in  the  cause  of  preserving  the 
Union,  and  he  gave  himself  unreservedly  to  soldier  life  and  duty. 
He  was  wounded  in  the  summer  of  '64,  in  battle  of  Deep  Bottom, 
Va.,  having  a  thumb  shot  off.     He  was  detailed  part  of  time  as 
teamster.     He  remained  with  the  Company  till  the  last,  though  his 
health  and  strength  were  considerably  impaired.    He  died  in  Clays 
ville,  July  22,  '95,  age  75  years.    His  widow,  living  yet  in  Claysville, 
says  that  he  carried  disease  from  the  exposure  and  severity  of  his 
war  service. 

19.  Daniel  J.  Butter foss,  Paris,  was  possibly  the  oldest  man  en 
listing  in  K.    In  fact  too  old  for  the  service.    He  could  not  endure 
the  testing  in  our  going  to  the  front,  and  was  sent  to  the  hospital 
April  21,  '63,  and  after  that  never  was  with  the  Company,  though 
not  discharged  till  about  the  time  K  was  mustered  out.    He  is  said 
to  have  carried  mail  till  a  good  old  a,ge,  and  spent  his  last  days  by 
his  choice  in  the  Erie  Soldier's  Home,  Erie,  Pa.,  where  he  died  of 
seniel  paresis,  July  29,  1896,  and  was  buried  there. 


52  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

20.  John  F.  Gardner,  Paris,  the  Corporal,  readily  responded  to 
his  country's  call  for  defenders,  and  made  a  fair  record  for  himself. 
Was  with  K  only  in  the  Chancellorsville  battle,  as  after  that  he  was 
on  detached  duty,  and  was  on  Dec.  17,  '63,  transferred  to  service 
in  the  Artillery  Brigade.    He  died  in  Iowa,  Oct.  I,  1896.    Corporal 
Geo.  Hanlin,  however,  thinks  it  was  in  DeKalb  County,  Ala.,  in 
which  he  died.     (The  members  of  K  had  in  the  40  years  since  the 
war  closed  become  so  scattered  that  it  seemed  impossible  in  a  few 
cases  to  get  definite  information.     We  did  the  best  we  could  in 
weeks  of  visiting  and  many  months  of  correspondence). 

21.  Isaac  W.  Chisholm,  Candor,  was  a  soldier  whose  bearing 
and  manner  made  a  favorable  impress  upon  his  comrades;  one  of 
more  than  average  merit,  of  good  business  qualities,  liked  by  all  who 
knew  him.    He  was  a  little  poetic  in  his  literary  effusions,  as  a  leaf 
from  his  camp  fire  reflections  will  show : 

"Rules  and  Regulations  of  the  Candor  Mess. — Donaldson,  Mc- 
Calmont,  Geary,  Chisholm,  Will  Powelson  and  Graham. 
Corporal  Donaldson  is  the  cook, 

And  Captain  of  the  mess, 
He  brings  the  water  from  the  brook, 

And  then  sits  down  to  rest. 
The  other  five  get  all  the  wood 

And  pile  it  in  the  corner, 
And  would  do  more  if  they  could 

To  crown  themselves  with  honor. 
Profane  swearing  is  not  allowed, 

Or  vulgar  language  used, 
Nor  'acts'  that  would  disgrace  the  crowd 

If  we  should  be  accused. 
A  member  who  should  break  these  rules 

Without  regard  to  beauty, 
Shall  be  kicked  out  like  army  mules 

And  placed  on  double  duty. 

Official :  By  command  of 

J.  W.  CHISHOLM,  ISAAC  DONALDSON, 

Private  and  Adjutant.  Corp'l  Commanding.'' 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  53 

He  practiced  medicine  after  the  war  in  South  Side,  Pittsburg, 
where  he  had  been  born,  until  1877,  when  with  family  of  wife  and 
children  he  located  in  New  Concord,  Ohio.  There  he  died  from 
heart  trouble,  Oct.  20,  '97,  and  was  buried  in  Concord  cemetery. 

22.  Henry  Dickson,  Dunningsville,   was  among  those  always 
ready  for  duty.    He  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Spottsylvania  C. 
H.    Was  in  hospital  till  the  latter  part  of  '64,  when  he  was  trans 
ferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps.     Soon  after  the  close  of  the 
war  he  went  west,  first  to  Kansas.    He  died  July  18,  1898,  in  San 
Diego,  California.     Buried  in  the  Washington  (Pa.)  cemetery. 

23.  Edward  S.  Alexander,  West  Alexander,  3rd  Sergeant,  pos 
sessed  many  of  the  sterling  qualities  of  a  good  soldier,  never  falter 
ing  when  duty  called  to  hardships  and  sacrifices.    His  business  abil 
ities  were  often  recognized  by  calls  or  details  to  special  and  some 
detached  duty.    This  took  him  no  little  from  the  Company.    But  he 
was  always  found  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  duty.    Was  wounded 
in  hand  and  arm  on  July  2,  '63,  Gettysburg.    Tried  in  the  furnace  of 
conflict,  the  war  over,  he  re-entered  his  work  of  life  with  determin 
ation  of  success.    The  writer  regrets  his  inability  to  get  definite  in 
formation  of  him,  though  he  visited  West  Alexander  in  search.    One 
thing  seemed  certain  from  the  cemetery  records — he  was  buried  there 
April  26,  1899. 

24.  Joseph  C.  Frazier,  West  Alexander,  was  with  the  Company 
till  after  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  May  1-5,  '63.    After  that  he 
took  sick,  was  sent  to  hospital,  and  was  discharged  Sept.  30,  '63,  on 
Surgeon's  certificate  of  disability.    And  the  writer  failed  to  get  any 
reliable  information  concerning  him  after  his  discharge.     From  the 
Pension  Bureau  it  was  ascertained  that  he  died  Nov.  20,  1900. 

25.  William  R.  H.  Powelson,  Cross  Creek,  4th  Corporal,  was 
one  of  K's  most  faithful  and  efficient  members.     He  was  a  model 
in  industry  and  attentiveness  to  the  requirements  of  camp  and  field, 
and  was  ever  looking  ahead  to  secure  best  results  and  promote  the 
best  interests  of  his  comrades  and  himself.    He  was  promoted  Ser 
geant  on  the  death  of  Hayes,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863.    He  was  with 
the  Company  all  through  its  service,  save  a  few  months  when  he  was 


54  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

in  hospital,  having  been  severely  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  C.  H.  in 
the  charge  on  morning  of  May  12,  '64,  shot  through  both  thighs  as 
he  leaped  to  the  top  of  the  rebel  breastworks.  Was  in  all  the  import 
ant  battles.  When  released  from  military  duty  he  moved  with  his 
wife  and  little  daughter  to  his  farm  in  Dent  county,  Mo.,  which  he 
had  left  in  '61  on  account  of  the  border  troubles.  His  spirit  of  in 
dustry  and  his  integrity  secured  for  him  a  pleasant  and  prosperous 
home  and  a  good  record  in  citizenship.  He  died  April  16,  1901,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Laketon  cemetery,  Lake  Spring,  Mo. 

26.  James  E.  Cochran,  Paris,  was  nearly  all  the  time  with  the 
Company.    Was  absent  sick  a  little,  dropped  out  a  little  in  the  severe 
campaign  of  '64,  and  was  on  detached  duty  some.    It  was  almost  im 
possible  to  get  any  data  of  him  after  the  close  of  service.    James  L. 
Noah  said  he  went  west  to  Rock  Island,  in  '65.    From  the  Pension 
Commissioner's  records  it  appears  that  he  died  April  7,  1902,  of  pneu 
monia,  Barnesville,  O.,  and  was  buried  in  cemetery  there. 

27.  John  M.  Day,  Morris  Township,  was  a  good-hearted  man, 
but  seemed  physically  unable  to  withstand  the  hardships  of  active 
service.    This  was  attested  on  march  to  the  front  and  in  winter  work 
at  Falmouth,  Va.     Before  the  winter  was  over  he  was  sent  to  the 
hospital,  and  there  continued  till  discharged  at  Philadelphia,  Dec.  12, 
'63,  for  disability.    He  led  a  quiet  life  in  his  rural  home,  died  from 
heart  trouble  May  30,  1903,  and  was  buried  in  Fairmount  United 
Brethren  cemetery,  East  Finley  Township. 

28. Benjamin  McCullough,  Candor,  was  a  man  of  excellent  spirit 
and  truly  loyal,  but  was  not  physically  made  for  a  drilled  soldier. 
He  was  detailed  April  28,  '63,  as  driver  in  the  Ambulance  Corps, 
and  served  a  good  deal  on  detached  duty.  Mustered  out  with  the 
Company.  He  died  of  dropsy  at  his  home  in  Steubenville,  Ohio,  July 
15,  1904,  while  the  writer  was  about  departing  for  his  home  in  the 
west,  after  five  weeks  of  close  work  in  the  interests  of  the  Company 
history.  He  was  buried  in  the  soldier's  lot  in  the  cemetery.  For 
months  he  was  a  great  sufferer,  and  Comrades  Sweeney  and  Lyle 
were  attentive  to  his  wants  and  ministered  comfort  and  aid  to  him. 

29.  George  W.  Johnson,  East  Finley  Tp.,  was  as  true  and  faith- 


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I4OTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  55 

ful  a  soldier  as  K  had  in  its  ranks — ever  ready  for  duty.  His  sol 
diering  was  characterized  with  cheerfulness,  a  trait  that  counted 
much  in  the  common  soldier  experience.  He  was  wounded  at  Peters 
burg,  Va.  He  was  practically  with  the  Company  all  the  way  from 
start  to  finish,  and  no  one  more  than  he  enjoyed  the  Grand  Review 
in  Washington  City,  and  no  one  was  more  pleased  than  he  to  re 
turn,  after  the  Union  was  preserved,  to  the  peaceful  life  of  home 
amid  friends  and  in  time  his  own  family.  He  was  faithful  in  the 
common  pursuits  of  industry.  The  writer  greatly  enjoyed  a  visit  in 
his  home  in  June,  1904,  and  when  14  of  K  met  in  Burgettstown,  Pa., 
in  an  impromptu  reunion,  he  was  there,  as  "happy  as  a  lark."  But 
in  August,  being  almost  totally  deaf,  as  he  was  crossing  a  street  at 
a  crossing  where  the  electric  car  line  turned,  a  car  struck  him  and 
the  injury  therefrom,  despite  the  skill  of  physician  or  care  of  loving 
friends,  resulted  in  his  death  Sept.  10,  1904.  Services  were  held  at 
his  residence,  213  W.  Maiden  street,  Washington,  Pa.,  and  the  body 
laid  to  rest  in  the  Washington  cemetery. 

30.  Ulysses  S.  Wheeler,  Eldersville,  was  a  noble-hearted  fellow 
and  a  worthy  soldier.    He  was  closely  connected  with  the  fortunes  of 
K  throughout,  was  slightly  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  May,  '63, 
and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  '64.    After 
the  war  was  over  he  was  delighted  in  exchanging  the  weapons  of 
strife  for  the  implements  of  industry ;  and  he  ever  lived  the  life  of  a 
worthy  citizen  on  his  farm  near  Eldersville.     It  was  the  privilege 
and  great  pleasure  of  the  writer  in  June,  '04,  to  visit  him  there  and 
enjoy  a  few  hours  with  him  and  wife.     He  had  been   suffering 
seriously  from  heart  trouble,  but  was  jovial  and  contented.    He  wrote 
me  a  cheerful  letter  just  three  weeks  before  his  death.    How  pained 
I  was  when  I  received  a  card  from  Comrade  D.  M.  Pry,  dated  Oct. 
5,  1904,  saying,  "Our  old  Comrade  Wheeler  dropped  dead  this  morn 
ing  on  his  porch.    He  had  his  team  hitched  up  ready  to  start  to  our 
fair" — Burgettstown,  Pa.    He  was  buried  at  Steubenville,  Ohio. 

31.  Henderson  Scott,  Paris,  was  unable  to  withstand  active  sol 
dier  life,  and  was  among  the  first  in  K  to  be  discharged.    This  was 
when  the  i4Oth  was  at  Falmouth,  before  its  first  experience  in  battle, 


56  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

and  by  a  special  order  of  the  War  Department.  He  re-enlisted  in  the 
iO3rd  Reg't,  P.  V.,  when  it  was  stationed  at  Roanoke  Island,  N.  C, 
and  remained  in  garrison  duty  till  the  close  of  the  war.  Then  like 
many  a  soldier  he  cast  his  lot  in  the  west  and  engaged  in  mining. 
Was  severely  injured  in  a  cave-in.  When  written  to  in  Eagleville, 
California,  he  replied  in  a  very  friendly  letter.  But  in  June,  1905, 
(a  letter  addressed  him  being  returned  unclaimed)  in  answer  to  an 
inquiry  the  postmaster  at  Sierraville,  Calif.,  wrote  me  that  Hender 
son  Scott  died  in  that  place  Feb.  9,  1905,  and  that  he  had  been  buried 
there.  That  he  had  no  family. 


Comrades  in  Colorado 
J.  K.  MAGILL 


B.  F.  POWELSON 


GEO.  A.  HANLIN 


I4OTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  57 


Sketches  of  Those  Living,  Jan.  2,  1906. 


And  now  there  remains  the  mention  of  the  forty-two  of  old  K 
who  are  living.  Special  effort  was  made  to  hear  personally  from  all. 
Letter  after  letter  was  written  to  secure  this.  Personal  visits  were 
made  to  many  and  efforts  made  to  see  others  as  far  as  possible. 
These  personal  interviews  were  a  source  of  unbounded  comfort  and 
pleasure  to  the  writer.  Everywhere  he  was  most  cordially  received 
and  welcomed.  But  to  the  work  before  us  : 

1.  Alexander  Sweeney,  Jr.,  First  Lieutenant,  was  in  December, 
'63,  appointed  to  duty  at  Division  Headquarters,  and  served  on  the 
staff  of  Gen.  Barlow,  and  afterwards  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Miles  to 
the  close  of  the  war.    He  was  a  genial  and  popular  staff  officer.    He 
received  the  rank  of  Brevet  Captain  March  13,  1865.    Once  again  in 
civil  life,  he  followed  the  way  of  his  father  in  mercantile  pursuits. 
For  quite  a  while  he  was  traveling  salesman  for  the  Arbuckle  Com 
pany,  and  was  very  successful.     After  that  he  was  engaged  some 
little  time  in  the  wholesale  grocery  business  in  Pittsburg  and  in 
Youngstown,  O.     But  for  the  greater  part  of  time  in  the  last  25 
or  30  years  he  has  been  associated  with  an  importing  tea  concern  in 
New  York;  and  is  a  rustler  still  in  that  business,  with  his  office  in 
Pittsburg,  and  his  traveling  extending  over  a  good  portion  of  eastern 
Ohio.    "Aleck"  still  knows  a  good  thing  when  he  sees  it;  sohe  at 
tended  the  G.  A.  R.  Encampment  in  Denver,  Colo.,  Sept.  4-9,  '95, 
and  enjoyed  a  wee  Co.  K  reunion  and  entertainment  provided  by  his 
Colorado  comrades,  Hanlin,  Magill  and  Powelson,  and  visited  the 
writer's  home,  much  to  his  pleasure.     And  the  entire  family  say, 
"Come  again,  Uncle  Aleck,  you're  ever  welcome!"    Capt.  Sweeney 
and  family  live  in  Steubenville,  Ohio.    His  address  is  Lock  Box  627. 

2.  Benjamin  F.  Powelson,  First  Sergeant. — Chaplain  Milligan 


58  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

says  of  him  in  a  college  class  history,  "As  Orderly  Sergeant  of  Co. 
K,  i4Oth  P.  V.,  for  two  years  he  was  one  of  the  bravest,  quietest, 
most  conscientious  and  faithful  soldiers  in  this  crack  Regiment  of 
veterans.  For  a  long  time  he  not  only  did  the  onerous  work  of  First 
Sergeant,  but  really  commanded  the  Company  whilst  his  superior 
officers  were  detailed  to  other  duties.  He  was  a  slender,  delicate 
looking  soldier,  but  he  never  flinched  in  the  fight.  He  was  promoted 
to  First  Lieutenant  Co.  G,  41  st  U.  S.  C.  T.,  and  was  afterwards 
placed  in  command  of  Co.  I  of  the  same  Regiment.  He  was  never 
wounded,  though  he  was  always  in  the  front,  and  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Bristow  Station,  Deep  Bot 
tom,  Ream's  Station,  Petersburg,  Appomattox  and  many  other 
smaller  engagements.  He  was  in  the  advance  line  at  the  surrender 
of  Lee,  the  last  in  the  fight,  under  Sheridan ;  after  which  he  was  or 
dered  with  his  Regiment  to  the  Rio  Grande  border."  He  was  mus 
tered  out  in  New  Orleans  in  October,  1865.  Col.  Moore,  editor  of 
the  Washington  Reporter,  on  hearing  this,  wrote,  "Among  the 
thousands  of  our  youth  who  went  out  to  confront  the  foes  of  our 
government  on  the  field  of  battle,  no  more  worthy  was  to  be  found 
than  Lieut.  Powelson,  nor  one  who  will  be  more  warmly  welcomed 
on  his  return."  He  entered  the  full  work  of  the  ministry,  in  the 
Presbyterian  church,  in  July,  '67,  and  has  been  ever  since  in  active 
work,  in  Missouri,  Kansas  and  Colorado.  And  any  of  the  old  com 
rades  will  ever  find  an  open  door  for  them  and  a  welcome  in  his  home 
in  Boulder.  His  address  is  Box  143,  Boulder,  Colo. 

3.  John  A.  McCalmont  was  a  number  one  soldier  and  was  atten 
tive  and  obedient  to  every  call  to  duty.  He  won  the  high  esteem 
of  his  comrades.  He  was  twice  promoted.  To  Corporal  on  the 
death  of  Donaldson,  Feb.  14,  '63,  and  to  Sergeant  when  Graham  was 
killed,  March  25,  1865.  He  was  fortunate  in  all  our  engagements 
only  receiving  a  slight  wound.  He  shared  the  fate  of  being  a  pris 
oner  with  Ralston  and  Abe  Andrews,  24  of  the  i4Oth  and  26  of  the 
26th  Michigan  being  taken  in  battle  near  Farmville  and  released  the 
third  day  after,  at  Lee's  surrender.  After  his  return  home  he  took 
up  the  role  of  a  good  citizen  and  became  a  happy,  prosperous  farmer, 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  59 

and  the  writer,  having  spent  several  nights  in  his  home,  most  gladly 
proclaims  Comrade  McCalmont  and  his  wife  princely  entertainers. 
His  address  is  Bulger,  Washington  Co.,  Pa. 

4.  Silas  Cooke,  1st  Corporal,  proved  himself  a  true  soldier,  and, 
though  not    of  a  strong  or  robust  constitution,  yet  he  stood  bravely 
the  soldier  requirements,  voluntarily  on  duty  sometimes  when  he 
ought  not  to  have  been.    He  was  practically  disabled  by  a  wound  at 
Spottsylvania  and  was  in  hospital  until  Jan.  24,  '65,  when  from  the 
hospital  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  he  was  transferred  for  service  in  the  6th 
Regiment  of  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  Johnson's  Island,  Ohio. 
He  was  finally  discharged  July  3,  '65,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.    After  the 
war  he  resumed  his  work  of  education  and  graduated  from  college 
and  Theological  Seminary.     Entered  the  full  ministry  in  the  Pres 
byterian  church  in  '75,  and  has  made  an  excellent  record  in  the  noble 
cause  he  espoused.    His  perseverance  in  scholarly  attainments  and 
his  fidelity  have  been  recognized  in  the  bestowal  on  him  of  the  de 
gree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.    His  address  is  Red  Oak,  Iowa,  where 
he  is  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 

5.  John  D.  McCabe,  2nd  Corporal,  while  willing  and  ready  to 
shoulder  his  musket  in  the  defense  and  preservation  of  his  country, 
found  himself  physically  unable  to  withstand  the  rigors  of  active 
military  service,  and  he  was  discharged.     His  few  months'  associa 
tion  with  the  members  of  the  Company  established  in  him  a  strong 
attachment  to  them,  and  he  enjoys  the  "touch  of  elbow"  with  them 
still.    The  writer,  in  his  hunting  for  the  boys  and  their  doings,  found 
him  actively  engaged  in  mercantile  business  and  enjoying  home  life 
in  Burgettstown,  Pa.,  where  he  can  be  found  or  addressed.     That 
he  appreciates  yet  his  membership  in  K  was  evidenced  in  his  and 
his  wife's  presence  at  the  G.  A.  R.  Encampment  in  Denver,  and  visit 
to  each  of  the  three  members  now  living  in  Colorado. 

6.  William  Hanlin,  8th  Corporal,  was  a  little  above  the  average 
age  of  the  members  of  K,  and  enlisted  from  a  deep  sense  of  duty; 
and  with  great  fidelity  he  took  up  the  burden  of  soldiering.    But  the 
Johnnies'  musket  balls  and  shells  at  Gettysburg  put  a  quietus  on  his 
active  service,  and  he  was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  York,  Pa.,  where 


6o  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

after  treatment,  he  did  light  duty  under  direction  of  the  surgeons, 
but  they  did  not  report  him  for  duty  on  account  of  disability  in  left 
leg.  When  visited  in  June,  '04,  he  was  presiding  well  over  an  ideal 
farmer's  Pennsylvania  home,  and  his  true  comradship  was  evidenced 
by  large-hearted  hospitality.  His  address  is  Hanlin  Station,  Wash 
ington,  Pa.,  R.  D.  No.  55.  fcj&jl  tHofHmg^f  ^Toy.  6,/f0C. 

7.  David  McC.  Pry,  with  commendable  zeal,  earnestness  and 
efficiency  participated  in  the  services  rendered  by  the  Company.    He 
was  promoted  Corporal  on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  on  the  eve  of  the 
Gettysburg  campaign.     In  the  famous  charge  of  Hancock's  Corps 
at  Spottsylvania,  Va.,  he  was  wounded.     He  was  cared  for  at  the 
Finley  hospital,  Washington,  D.  C.     On  recovery  he  was  examined 
and  transferred  to  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  and  the  surgeon 
placed  him  in  charge  of  Ward  No.  I.    He  remained  in  such  service 
till  all  were  sent  home,  or  to  their  different  state  hospitals,  sometime 
after  Lee's  surrender.     Then,  after  assisting  the  Quarter  Master  in 
tabulating  and  turning  over  to  government  officials  the  property,  he 
received  his  final  disicharge.     Since  then  the  following  may  be  said 
of  him :    Merchandizing  for  32  years ;  Notary  Public  and  Justice  of 
the  Peace  30  years ;  ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church  30  years ; 
commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly  of  same  in  Chicago;  Re 
corder  of  Washington  county  i885-'87;  twice  Chairman  of  Repub 
lican  convention;  twice  delegate  to  Republican  State  convention; 
member  of  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  i897-'98;  member  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Board  of  Agriculture  1899-1904;  at  present  No 
tary  Public  and  conducting  a  successful  insurance  and  general  con 
veyancing  business.     His  address  is  Lock  Box  404,  Burgettstown, 
Pa.,  where  he  has  long  enjoyed  residence,  to  the  kind  hospitalities 
and  courtesies  of  whose  home  the  writer  can  give  ample  attestation. 

8.  James  K.  P.  Magill  was  an  out-and-out,  all-round  volunteer 
soldier ;  among  the  lucky  ones  in  nearly  every  battle  and  scrimmage 
and  never  shed  blood;  full  of  good  nature  and  of  valuable  service 
to  the  Company.    He  was  promoted  Corporal  July  2,  '63,  when  Will 
Powelson  was  made  a  Sergeant.    He  is  justly  an  heir  to  a  very  high 
degree  of  comradship  among  the  veterans,  and  he  greatly  enjoys  the 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  61 

same.  On  muster  out  he  assumed  duties  of  faithful  citizenship  in  the 
old  home  community  until  in  '88,  when  he  moved  with  his  family  to 
Pueblo,  Colo.,  and  he  there  entered  mercantile  pursuits,  winning-  a 
comfortable  home  and  a  successful  trade  by  his  integrity  and  good 
business  methods.  You  will  find  him,  as  of  yore,  ever  in  good 
humor,  at  the  Central  Mesa  grocery,  100  Block  P,  Pueblo,  Colo. 

9.  James  C.  Lyle  was  a  willing",  quiet  and  faithful  member ;  but, 
not  being  very  robust,  he  was  subject  to  illness,  and  was  several  times 
in  the  hospital ;  and  he  can  relate  some  interesting  and  rather  stirring 
experiences  in  these  times  of  absence  from  the  Company ;  as  when  he 
was  fitted  (  ?)  out  in  a  Washington  hospital  for  going  home  to  vote, 
and  when  in  May,  '64,  with  other  sick  and  wounded,  he  was  several 
days  a  prisoner  under  Fitzhugh  Lee,  and  the   federal  and  rebel 
officers  had  a  gala  time  with  the  hospital  stimulants,  and  again  when 
he,  in  rejoining  Company  near  Cold  Harbor,  was  so  hungry  and  com 
pletely  worn  out  on  reaching  division  headquarters  about  dark,  and 
receiving  from  Lieut.  Sweeney  beef  and  hard-tack,  gathered  sticks, 
prepared  and  ate  his  royal  meal,  the  bullets  rattling  thick  about  him, 
one  wounded  near  him,  and  then  lay  down  and  slept ;  and  never  more 
glad  in  his  life  than  when  next  day  he  got  back  among  his  comrades 
in  K.    And  from  that  on  to  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  with  the 
Company.    He  was  promoted  Corporal  when  Graham  was  made  5th 
Sergeant,  March  17,  '64.    As  he  was  a  true  soldier,  he  has  ever  been 
a  true  and  worthy  citizen,  successful  in  farming  and  happy  in  home 
life.    His  address  now  is  East  Liverpool,  Ohio. 

10.  George  A.  Hanlin  was  found  to  be  of  good  material  for  a 
soldier,  and  the  hospital  never  got  him  but  for  a  while  in  the  middle 
part  of  '63.    He  had  the  aptitude  of  getting  his  full  share  of  the  sun 
shine  of  army  life,  and  therefore  was  a  valuable  member  of  K.    He 
was  advanced  to  rank  of  Corporal  in  the  promotion  of  Ralston  to 
be  First  Sergeant.     The  rebels  had  a  pick  at  George,  at  Spottsyl- 
vania,  on  May  12,  '64,  claiming  his  head,  but  luckily  for  him  they 
only  got  a  piece  of  his  ear,  and  he  confronted  them  in  the  very  next 
onset  and  ever  after.     Peace  established,  he  resumed  work  on  the 
home  farm ;  but  soon  moved  to  Missouri,  and  in  the  7o's  cast  his  lot 


62  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

in  Colorado,  first  in  mining  a  short  time,  then  in  the  feed  and  fuel 
business  in  Denver,  in  which  he  succeeded  well.  And  those  who 
were  fortunate  enough  to  attend  the  39th  National  G.  A.  R.  En 
campment  can  testify  to  his  and  family's  open-heartedness  and  gen 
erous  contributions  to  the  comfort  and  pleasure  of  all  old  comrades. 
And  he  will  ever  be  found  the  same,  at  3800  Palmer  street,  Denver, 
Colo.  And  to  any  comrade  coming  to  Colorado,  seeking  a  home 
therein  or  the  comfort  and  blessing  of  its  ozone  and  sunshine,  he 
stands  ready  to  give  information  and  aid. 

11.  Marshall  Wright,  though  last  on  the  roll,  was  among  the 
first  in  readiness  to  respond  to  all  just  requirements.    He  was  in  hos 
pital  at  Washington,  D.  C,  several  months  after  Chancellorsville 
battle.    In  the  terrible  conflict  on  May  12,  '64,  at  Spottsylvania,  he 
had  a  close  call.     He  was  shot  in  the  neck.     He  had  a  prominent 
"Adam's  Apple,"  and  so  had  enough  and  to  spare  and  live  over  it, 
and,  after  a  short  sojourn  with  the  surgeon,  he  took  his  place  again 
in  line  to  hold  it  till  the  Company  was  mustered  out.    His  life  since 
has  been  a  success,  and  he  still  delights  in  the  comradship  of  "old 
Company  K/    He  was  promoted  Corporal  in  the  transfer  of  D.  M. 
Pry,  Feb.  6,  '65.    His  home  is  in  Elwood,  Lawrence  Co.,  Pa. 

12.  Abram  Andrews  and  his  brother  Peter  were  well  known 
in  the  Company  as  quiet,  good  men,  "boys"  as  they  were  called,  for 
they  were  small  in  stature.    Abram  was  sick  some  and  in  hospital, 
but  for  the  most  part  was  with  the  Company.    He  received  a  slight 
wound  at  Todd's  Tavern,  but  four  days  afterwards  was  in  line  in 
that  great  day  of  victory  for  the  2nd  Corps  at  Spottsylvania,  during 
which  he  and  Norris  Metcalf  helped  to  carry  off  the  rebel  cannon  in 
face  of  desperate  firing.    He  was  promoted  Corporal  to  fill  vacancy 
as  McCalmont  was  advanced  to  rank  of  5th  Sergeant,  March  25, 
'65.    On  April  7th,  in  battle  near  Farmville,  he  was  taken  prisoner 
along  with  Ralston  and  McCalmont.     He  ever  rejoices  to  say  he 
belonged  to  "dear  old  Co.  K."     His  address  is  Latrobe,  Athens 
county,  Ohio,  R.  D.  No.  i. 

13.  Jesse  J.  Morris  was  one  of  K's  "rooters"  (in  the  parlance  of 
modern  athletics),  a  No.  I  drummer  boy,  17  years  old  when  sworn  in 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  63 

and  had  to  "tiptoe  it  to  reach  the  measuring  stick."  He  enlisted  as  a 
private  and  served  in  the  ranks  till  some  time  in  March,  '63,  being 
in  Co.  K's  first  detail  sent  out  on  picket  on  the  Rappahannock.  He 
was  then  put  in  Drum  Corps.  He  soon  was  leader  of  the  snare 
drummers,  and,  when  Johnnie  Bryan  was  detailed  as  Adjutant's 
clerk,  he  was  made  Drum  Sergeant,  and  had  charge  of  the  Corps 
from  that  time  until  appointed  Dru  mMajor,  Dec.  22,  '64,  and  trans 
ferred  to  Regimental  non-commissioned  staff.  Was  with  the  Regi 
ment  through  all  its  marchings,  campaigns  and  engagements.  Never 
away  but  15  days,  and  that  on  furlough  during  winter  of  '64  and 
'65.  Never  answered  the  surgeon's  call  but  twice,  and  that  for  chills 
when  "we  lay  in  go-for-holes  in  front  of  Petersburg,  supporting 
Battery  5."  His  old  blue  drum  hangs  in  a  prominent  place  in  his 
house,  bequeathed  to  his  son.  He  is  a  "drummer"  still,  but  now  a 
successful  salesman  for  A.  F.  Bannister  &  Co.,  cutlery  manufactur 
ers,  Newark,  N.  J.  And  his  home  and  address  is  7514  Kelly  street, 
Pittsburg,  Pa. 

14.  George  W.  McConnell  was  enlisted  as  a  musician.     Prac 
tically  he  never  lost  a  day  from  service.    After  the  battle  of  Gettys 
burg  he  was  left  there  in  charge  of  three  men  of  Co.  H  and  color- 
bearer  Riddle  of  Co.  F.     He  returned  to  the  Regiment  in  October, 
when  camped  near  Warrenton,  Va.     About  Jan.  i,  '64,  he  was  de 
tailed  by  Gen.  Hancock  in  Drum  Corps,  at  Division  headquarters, 
and  was  in  that  till  the  close  of  war.    He  was  one  of  two  out  of  150 
musicians  who  kept  up  with  the  ambulance  train  and  reported  to 
Dr.  Wishart,  in  rear  of  our  line  at  Petersburg,  June  14,  '64,  the  night 
of  the  crossing  of  the  James.     Was  at  the  Grand  Review  and  the 
disbanding  of  the  Company.     Returned  to  old  home,   but  in  '71 
went  to  Kansas,  then  in  '75  back  to  Ohio,  and  for  25  years  has  had  a 
good  home  and  prosperous  business  (black-smithing)  in  Carrollton, 
Ohio,  where  he  will  glady  welcome  any  of  K  Company. 

15.  James  B.  Allison  was  very  faithful  and  steady  in  service. 
He  was  absent  but  once,  then  about  four  months  in  sickness,  sent 
from  Deep  Bottom  to  Chestnut  Hill  hospital,  Philadelphia.    Special 
mention  has  been  made  of  him  at  Gettysburg.    He  was  conscientious 


64  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

in  trying  to  do  his  duty,  and  wrote  me  when  I  sought  of  him  some 
information :  "Now  after  all  these  years  have  come  and  gone,  I  look 
back  from  the  western  slope  of  life  to  those  bloody  days  with  some 
feelings  of  pride  for  having  done  what  I  could  to  save  the  nation  in 
its  entirety,  and  also  with  sadness  as  I  still  remember  and  think  of 
the  boys  that  laid  down  their  lives  that  the  country  might  live." 
His  address  is,  Prosperity,  Washington  Co.,  Pa.,  via  Dunn's  Station. 

1 6.  Peter  Andrews,  to  whom  reference  has  already  been  made, 
was  sick  and  in  hospitals  in  Washington  and  Philadelphia  from 
June,  '63  to  July  '64.    He  rejoined  us  in  time  for  the  Deep  Bottom 
engagement,  and  was  with  the  Company  until  the  disbanding.     He 
tells  us  of  what  he  saw  on  April  8,  '65,  near  Farmville,  on  the  field 
of  conflict  where  the  charges  were  made  the  day  before  in  which 
his  brother  was  taken  prisoner.    The  dead  lay  thick,  in  some  places 
the  bodies  of  Union  and  rebel  soldiers  crossing  each  other.     He 
also  says  that  he  and  Geo.  Johnson  turned  over  to  headquarters  two 
rebel  prisoners  on  that  same  7th.    When  met  June  25,  '04  at  the  K 
gathering,  Burgettstown,  Pa.,  he  was  extremely  happy,  reporting 
himself  as  having  a  family  of  nine  children  and  fourteen  grand 
children,  all  proud  of  his  army  record  and  associations,  his  good 
wife  affirming  "one  of  the  grandest  Regiments  in  the  Civil  War." 
His  address  is  Mount  Oliver,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

17.  James  Arthurs  was  a  good-hearted,  trustworthy  man,  ever 
ready  to  serve  his  country.     He  was  not,  however,  quick  to  learn 
the  manual  of  arms,  or  military  maneuvers.    So  he  served  mostly  on 
detached  duty  as  Regimental  teamster,  and  was  faithful  to  duty  till 
the  muster  out.    No  word  received  from  him  directly.    His  address 
is  Toronto,  Jefferson  Co.,  Ohio. 

1 8.  Lazarus  Briggs   was   a   quiet,  good   dispositioned   fellow, 
somewhat  on  the  reserve,  and  at  times  a  little  hard  to  understand. 
He  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  back  at  Chancellorsville.    He  was 
ever  ready  for  any  camp  or  general  soldier  duty,  but  had  a  special 
dislike  to  the  way  the  rebels  came  at  us  generally.    Yet  towards  the 
last  the  dislike  somewhat  disappeared — we  all  got  a  little  familiar 
with  the  Johnnies'  ways —  and  he  stuck  to  his  post  of  duty  in  all 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  65 

service,  and  was  with  the  Company  till  it  disbanded.  He  still  en 
joys  meeting  with  his  comrades,  and  lives  in  comfort  and  content 
with  his  family  in  Houston,  Washington  Co.,  Pa. 

19.  Benjamin  B.  Buchanan  was  characterized  with  a  strong, 
patriotic  spirit,  and  entered  the  service  with  best  intent.  But  he 
found  that  he  was  physically  unable  to  endure  the  hardships  of  stern 
army  life.  And,  after  trying  to  overcome  hindrances  for  some 
months  to  no  purpose,  he  was  discharged  for  disability  from  hos 
pital  in  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  was  during  our  first  engage 
ment,  Chancellorsville.  His  disability  was  increased  by  exposure  in 
camp  duty,  and  thus  far  he  made  sacrifice  for  the  cause,  a  sacrifice 
he  realizes  always.  And  his  comrades  sympathize,  too,  with  him  in 
the  loss  of  his  partner  in  life,  who  died  a  few  years  ago.  His  home 
is  in  Paris,  Washington  Co.,  Pa. 

20.  George  W.  Carter.    Co.  K  had  several  sets  of  brothers  in  it : 
Will  and  Ben  Powelson ;  Abe  and  Pete  Andrews ;  George  and  Harry 
McConnell ;  Tom  and  George  Carter ;  Joe  and  Dave  Corbin ;  Ben  and 
Jim  Cummins ;  William  and  Isaac  Miller ;  John  and  Colin  Nickeson ; 
Robert  and  Dave  Pry;  and  George  and  Jesse  Sprowls.    The  Carter 
brothers  had  a  cousin  Jesse.    All  three  were  excellent  soldiers.    Tom 
fell  bravely  fighting  at  Gettysburg,  George  was  wounded  at  Spottsyl- 
vania  as  bravely  fighting,  but  was  able  to  rejoin  the  Company,  and 
then  he  stayed  with  it  to  the  end.    No  direct  word  was  received  from 
him,  but  his  address  is  Millsboro,  Washington  Co.,  Pa. 

21.  Andrew  Chester  was  one  of  the  most  ready  and  willing  to 
do  service  in  K.    He  was  sure  to  be  in  everything  going  on.    He  was 
slightly  wounded  by  a  piece  of  shell  in  his  right  ankle  at  Chan 
cellorsville,  and  he  was  severely  wounded  in  left  leg  June  6,  '64,  at 
Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  and  was  never  with  the  Company  afterwards. 
He  was  discharged  from  service  when  in  hospital  at  Philadelphia, 
July  3,  '65.    And  now  in  the  busy  life  he  is  leading,  as  his  impaired 
health  and  strength  will  permit,  he  is  eager  to  embrace  every  oppor 
tunity  to  touch  elbows  with  his  comrades,  and  thinks,  as  he  revels 
in  the  memories  of  our  many  well-fought  battles  that  nothing  too 


66  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

good  can  be  said  in  praise  of  "Old  Co.  K."    His  address  is  Eighty- 
four,  Washington  Co.,  Pa.,  R.  D.  No.  84. 

22.  Ezra  Conaway  shared  in  the  duties  of  the  soldier  as  re 
quired  of  the  members  of  this  Company  up  to  the  time  when  the 
arrangements  were  being  consummated  for  the  Chancellorsville  en 
gagement.    On  April  26,  '63,  he  was  detailed  on  detached  duty  and 
served  after  that  as  teamster,  or  in  the  wagon  train  department, 
and  became  a  wagon-master,  was  mustered  out  with  the  Company. 
No  word  could  be  gotten  from  him,  but  D.  M.  Pry  reports  his  ad 
dress — Monongahela  City,  Washington  Co.,  Pa. 

23.  Joseph  A.  Corbin  was  with  the  Company  in  the  faithful 
performance  of  his  duties  till  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  wherein  he 
was  wounded  in  the  leg.    He  was  discharged  from  the  service  from 
the  hospital,  May  20,  '65,  and  returned  to  his  work  on  the  farm.    His 
address  is  Eldersville,  Washington  Co.,  Pa.,  via  Hanlin  Station. 

24.  George  Gardner  was  among  a  few,  who,  on  the  Company's 
being  subjected  to  the  ordeal  of  active  duties  "on  the  field"  or  con 
fronting  the  enemy,  were  found  physically  incapacitated — unable  to 
stand  the  strain.     So  he  was,  on  March  20,  '63,  discharged  under 
General  Order  No.  77,  War  Department.    And  we  were  unable  to 
get  any  satisfactory  information  about  him.    Obtaining  his  address 
as  Beaver,  Beaver  county,  Oklahoma,  letters  were  addressed  to  him 
there,  which,  while  not  returned  to  writer,  were  never  answered. 

25.  Benjamin  F.  Hawthorn  possessed  many  of  the  good  qual 
ities  of  a  true  soldier.    Prompt  to  respond  to  duty's  calls,  willing  to 
share  in  the  burdens  of  service,  taking  trying  conditions  in  a  good- 
humored  way,  and  devoted  to  the  cause  for  which  he  fought,  he 
could  be  relied  upon  in  camp,  on  march  and  amid  conflict.    He  was 
wounded  by  gunshot  in  right  shoulder  at  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  '64, 
and  thereby  disabled  for  field  service,  but  was,  on  the  wound  heal 
ing,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps,  and  did  duty  about  hospitals  in 
Washington  City,  from  which  he  was  discharged  in  June,  '65.    He 
has  ever  evinced  a  strong  attachment  to  his  comrades,  specially  to 
those  of  Co.  K.    Is  engaged  in  the  sale  of  books,  and  enjoys  home 
life.    His  address  now  is  Box  199,  California,  Washington  Co.,  Pa. 


I4OTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  67 

26.  Robert  McClurg,  soon  after  the  Regiment  joined  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Pio 
neer  Corps,  and  sustained  a  good  record  for  fidelity  and  efficiency  in 
that  department  of  service  to  close  of  war,  being  ordered  back  to 
Company  for  Grand  Review  and  muster  out.     Then  he  went  back 
to  and  has  ever  enjoyed  the  peaceful  scenes  and  happy  experiences 
of  rural  life,  ever  having  an  open  heart  for  any  member  of  K.    The 
writer  on  a  visit  to  his  place,  with  Comrade  Wm.  Hanlin,  in  1904, 
saw  the  large  apple  tree,  grown  from  the  two  grafts  out  of  the  slips 
sent  home  by  him  from  Virginia,  to  which  reference  has  been  pre 
viously  made.     He,  too,  can  tell  of  some  lively  scraps  with  the 
Johnnies,  who  were  always  averse  to  the  laying  down  of  pontoons 
or  to  the  construction  of  roads,  etc.    His  address  is  Paris,  Washing 
ton  Co.,  Pa. 

27.  Owen  McElfish  was  not  a  very  robust  fellow,  but  wiry  and 
well-disposed.    He  was  in  hospital  during  the  engagement  at  Chan- 
cellorsville ;  after  that,  with  the  Regiment  about  all  the  time.    Nevei 
had  a  furlough.    Received  a  flesh  wound  in  leg  April  5,  '65,  but  kept 
with  the  Company  and  shared  in  the  capture  of  Lee's  hearquarter 
train  (or  part  of  it)  with  flags,  money  and  apple-jack.    Of  the  latter, 
he  says  two  wagon  loads,  and  "we  had  a  good  time  that  night  and 
next  morning.     Adjutant  Ray  said  the  i4Oth  could  lick  the  rebel 
army."    Since  the  war  closed  Owen  has  managed  to  take  good  care 
of  himself ;  but,  in  impaired  health  and  strength,  he  feels  the  sacrifice 
he  has  made  in  the  nation's  defence.     His  address  is  Rainsburg, 
Bedford  county,  Pa. 

28.  Isaac  Miller  proved  to  be  a  good  and  most  reliable  soldier. 
At  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  '64,  as  stated  heretofore,  he  was  wounded 
severely  in  leg  and  was  left  on  field;  taken  prisoner;  kept  a  month 
or  more,  but  fractured  bone  never  set ;  paroled  and  sent  back  through 
lines;  at  Annapolis  in  hospital  a  while,  then  sent  home  to  vote,  and 
at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  on  June  15,  '65  received  his  discharge  papers. 
After  discharge  had  the  ball  taken  out,  it  having  lodged  in  back  part 
of  limb  and  had  been  there  for  over  a  year.     He  is  badly  crippled, 
not  able  to  do  any  work.    In  '84  went  with  family  to  Kansas.     In 


68  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

'93  went  to  the  health  resort,  Eureka  Springs,  Arkansas,  where  he 
now  resides. 

29.  Enoch  Mounts  was  with  the  Company,  sharing  in  all  its  re 
quirements,  up  to  April,  '63,  but  was  in  the  hospital  during  the  move 
ments  about  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville.     On  opening  of 
Gettysburg  campaign  he  was  with  the  guards  of  the  hospital  train. 
Discharged  Aug.  22,  '63.     He  re-enlisted  Feb.   14,  '64  in  Co.  A, 
looth  Regiment  P.  V.    Wounded  in  Wilderness  May  6,  '64,  in  arm 
and  breast.     Final  discharge  on  May  15,  '65.    He  is  in  the  firm  of 
Enoch  Mounts  &  Son,  painters  and  paper  hangers;  residence  63, 
Sumner  Ave.,  Washington,  Pa. 

30.  John  W.  Nickeson  was  a  very  quiet  but  ever  trustworthy 
soldier.    He  was  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  having  a  thumb  shot 
off,  and  was  unfitted  for  field  service.    When  wound  healed  he  did 
duty  to  close  of  war  in  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps.    The  war  ended, 
he  returned  to  the  farm,  where  ever  since  he  has  lived  a  good  up 
right  citizen,  though  of  late  years  in  broken  health.    His  address  i« 
Claysville,  Pa.,  R.  F.  D.  No.  63. 

31.  James  L.  Noah  met  faithfully  all  the  requirements  of  the 
service  in  the  Company  until  Dec.  17,  '63,  when  he  was  transferred 
to  Battery  B,  ist  Rhode  Island  Light  Artillery,  2nd  Corps  Artillery 
Brigade.    In  spring  of  '64  he  was  transferred  to  Battery  C,  ist  In 
dependent  Pennsylvania  Light  Artillery,  holding  the  rank  of  Ser 
geant.     Discharged  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  June  8,  '65.     In  July, 
same  year,  he  went  with  Jim  Cochran  to  Rock  Island,  111.    Was  in 
west  till  '93,  holding  while  there  several  positions  of  trust,  but  losing 
his  wife  by  death  in  '91.     Is  at  present  in  the  employ  of  the  Pitts- 
burg  Coal  Co.    He  wrote  us,  "I  hold  all  comrades  of  Co.  K  more 
dear  to  my  heart  than  all  the  rest  of  humanity."    Address,  Box  93, 
Sturgeon,  Pa. 

32.  Robert  A.  Pry  was  practically  on  duty  throughout  term  of 
enlistment,   an  evenly  tempered   soldier,  and  contributing  his  full 
share  of  the  good  humor  of  the  Company.    After  battle  of  Gettys 
burg  he  was  detained  for  service  at  field  hospital  and  other  places 
for  some  little  time,  and  then  he  rejoined  us.    At  Todd's  Tavern  the 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  69 

Johnnies  gave  it  to  him  in  the  left  foot,  causing  his  absence  from 
the  ranks  about  two  months.  Then  he  favored  the  Company  with 
his  presence  to  the  end,  and  says  he  can  never  forget  the  day  when 
old  K  stood  on  the  skirmish  line  at  Appomattox  as  the  flag  of  truce 
came  out  in  its  front  from  Lee,  seeking  terms  of  surrender.  He  has 
in  his  riper  years  been  sitting  to  dispense  the  laws  of  his  preserved 
country  as  Justice  of  the  Peace.  And  he  avails  himself  of  every 
opportunity  to  keep  in  touch  with  his  old  comrades.  His  address  is 
Lazearville,  W.  Va.  (Brooke  Co.) 

33.  William  M.  Rea  was  among  the  many  noble-hearted  farmer 
boys  in  K  who  at  their  country's  call  "hastened  to  the  field  of  battle," 
"Clif "  Hayes,  his  neighbor,  being  the  first  to  fall.    Will  Rea  bore  full 
his  share  in  sacrifice  for  the  country  we  saved.    At  Todd's  Tavern, 
May  8,  '64,  he  was  shot  through  the  ankle  with  a  musket  ball,  and 
at  field  hospital  had  his  foot  amputated  that  night.     After  he  was 
struck  he  crawled  back  quite  a  distance  till  his  knees  were  all  sore, 
and,  the  line  falling  back  past  him,  two  of  Co.  B  carried  him  till  they 
were  ordered  by  Gen.  Miles  to  leave  him  and  to  go  into  a  ravine 
nearby  and  carry  off  one  of  the  General's  wounded  aids,  and  in  a 
short  time  Gen.  Miles  dispatched  a  stretcher  and  had  Rea  conveyed 
to  hospital.     After  ten  days  at  Fredericksburg  he  was  taken  to  a 
hospital  in  Washington  City,  where  he  remained  for  fully  a  year, 
and  therefrom  was  discharged  May  19,  '65.    He  suffered  ever  after, 
the  stump  never  healing  over,  until  in  June,  1904,  40  years  after 
ward,  when  in  the  Mercy  Hospital,  Pittsburg,  he  had  a  reamputa- 
tion,  the  stump  this  time  healing  nicely.    He  enjoys  good  health  and 
is  a  good,  practical  farmer,  enjoying  neighborship  with  that  ever 
reliable  comrade  Johnnie  McCalmont.    His  address  is  Bulger,  Wash 
ington  Co.,  Pa.,  R.  D.  No.  50. 

34.  William  Scott  was  with  the  Company  nearly  all  the  time, 
having  on  two  occasions  been  on  detached  duty  a  short  time.    He 
evinced  commendable  pluck  on  marches,   for   though  he  suffered 
much  from  sore  (tender)  feet,  he  was  determined  to  keep  up.    His 
fidelity  to  the  company  in  its  strenuous  service  made  strong  the  tie 
which  binds  him  still  to  its  members.    He  in  days  of  peace  has  lived 


yo  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  victories  won.  In  June,  1904,  the  writer,  with 
Comrade  Wheeler,  visited  his  lovely  home  and  enjoyed  a  royal  din 
ner  with  him  and  wife.  His  address  is  Avella,  Washington  Co.,  Pa., 
R.  D.  No.  2. 

35.  Nathaniel  Seese  served  mostly  as  Company  cook,  or  in  some 
way  in  the  commissary  department.    He  was  with  us  in  the  battle 
of  Chancellorsville,  and  took  part  in  the  Company"s  last  battle  at 
Farmville.     Was  mustered  out  with  the  Company.     We  were  un 
able  to  gather  any  satisfactory  information  concerning  him  since  the 
muster  out,  and  could  not  hear  from  him,  having  written  often.    To 
best  of  word  obtained  his  address  is  118  Allen  St.,  3ist  Ward,  Pitts- 
burg,  Pa. 

36.  Oliver  Staley,  with  one  exception,  was  practically  with  the 
Company  through  all  its  service.    During  the  Wilderness  campaign 
in  '64  he  was  in  the  hospital  and  rejoined  the  Company  before  Peters 
burg  in  time  for  the  Second  Deep  Bottom  engagement  in  Aug.  '64. 
With  Comrade  Johnson  the  writer  enjoyed  a  pleasant  visit  with  him 
in  his  home  in  West  Washington,  his  address  being  67  Canton 
avenue,  Washington,  Pa. 

37.  William  Stollar  was  aonther  member  of  K  generally  found 
on  hand  ready  for  any  duty.     He  was  wounded  at  Spottsylvania, 
May  12,  '64,  but  had  his  consolation  in  the  fact  of  having  taken  part 
in  one  of  the  most  successful  charges  of  the  war,  which  won  for 
Gen.  Hancock  the  rank  of  Major  General  in  the  U.  S.  Army.    He, 
too,  very  highly  prizes  his  membership  in  K  of  the  i4Oth  P.  V.,  and 
availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  to  assist  in  the  gathering  of 
data  for  this  history.     He  has  ever  enjoyed  the  farm  life  in  the 
community  from  which  he  enlisted.    His  address  is  Claysville,  Pa., 
R.  F.  D.  No.  63. 

38.  Thomas  Wilkin  was  only  away  from  the  Company  from 
Dec.  '63  to  April,  '64,  when  he  was  detached  as  teamster  in  the  2nd 
Corps  Artillery  Brigade.    He  was  one  of  the  lucky  ones  whom  the 
rebels  could  not  hit,  though  often  they  came  "mighty  close"  to  it. 
Some  say  he  did  get  a  buckshot  in  the  hand  at  Todd's  Tavern  bat 
tle.    He  seems  to  have  forgotten  it.    He  lives  happily  on  his  farm 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  71 

"near  the  church  and  the  school  house,"  in  his  adopted  state — Mis 
souri,  having  raised  a  good-sized  family.  His  love  for  his  com 
rades  never  wavers.  His  address  is  Kingston,  Mo.,  R.  F.  D.  No.  I. 

39.  James  Worstell  never  failed  to  answer  to  duty's  call  in  K's 
varied  experiences  so  far  as  the  Orderly  Sergeant  remembers,  until 
in  that  fatal  charge  under  Col.  Brody  at  Todd's  Tavern  the  rebels 
"spotted  him,"  giving  him  a  severe  wound  in  the  left  knee,  and  he 
was  thereby  unfitted  for  K's  further  marches  and  fights.    But  after 
a  nine  months'  siege  in  hospitals  he  did  service  in  the  Veteran  Re 
serve  Corps  three  months  in  Johnson's  Island,  Lake  Erie,  guarding 
rebel  prisoners,  and  then  in  Cincinnati,  receiving  his  discharge  there 
July  5,  '65.    He  has  enjoyed  a  good  degree  of  success  in  life,  and  can 
boast  of  having  raised  a  goodly  number  of  stalwart  sons  of  the  vet 
eran,  and  of  having  constant  touch  with  members  of  old  K.    He  can 
speak  for  himself  at  209  Jefferson  avenue,  Canonsburg,  Pa. 

40.  William  A.  Jackson,  of  Florence,  Pa.,  was  not  with  the 
Company  much,  coming  in  as  a  recruit  just  on  the  eve  of  the  "on  to 
Richmond"  campaign  in  '64,  and  not  being  able  to  endure  the  sever 
ities  of  the  service  was  absent  considerably,  and  was  discharged  on 
the  2nd  day  of  November  that  year.    No  answer  was  received  from 
him.     His  address  was  given  by  his  sister  as  Lincoln  Place,  Alle 
gheny  Co.,  Pa. 

41.  Frank  Stiver,  of  West  Virginia,  did  not  enter  the  Company 
till  late  in  September,  '64,  and  was  not  known  by  the  writer.    He  was 
a  good  soldier,  remaining  with  the  Company  till  its  muster  out,  May 
31,  '65.    No  reply  came  from  him  to  letters  addressed  him.    His  ad 
dress  was  given  as  Harmony,  Butler  county,  Pa. 

42.  George  A.  Reed,  of  Cross  Creek  Township,  was  a  recruit, 
but  did  not  enter  the  Company  till  Feb.  27,  '65,  and  consequently  re 
ceived  his  initiation  in  the  final  campaign  of  the  war.    On  May  30, 
'65,  by  Special  Order  136  of  Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  was  trans 
ferred  to  the  53rd  Regiment  of  Pa.  Vols.    When  finally  mustered  out 
he  settled  down  on  a  farm  near  Eldersville.    No  reply  to  communi 
cations  sent  him  as  to  data.    His  address  is  Hanlin  Station,  Wash 
ington  Co.,  Pa.,  R.  D.  No.  54. 


72  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 


Recapitulation  of  Battles,  Casualties,  Etc. 


1. — Battles,  Skirmishes,   Reconnoisances-in-Force. 

1.  May  1-5,  1863 Chancellorsville,  Va 

2.  July  1-4,  1863 _ Gettysburg,  Pa. 

3.  July  14,  1863 Falling  Water,  Md. 

4.  July  22,  1863 Ashby's  Gap,  Va. 

5      |  A"|-  3!»  1863  j- U.  S.  Ford,  Rappahannock  River. 

6.  Sept.  12,  1863 Culpeper  C.  H.,  Va. 

7.  Sept.  17-30,  1863 Rapidan,  s.  w.  Culpeper  C.  H. 

8.  Oct.  14,  1863 Auburn  Mill,  Va. 

9.  Oct.  14,  1863 Bristoe  Station,  Va. 

10.  Nov.  29-30,  1863 Mine  Run,  Va. 

11.  Feb.  6,  1864 Morton's  Ford,  Rapidan  River 

12.  May  3,  1864 „ Ely's  Ford,  Rapidan  River 

13.  May  5-6,  1864 „ Wilderness,  Va. 

14.  May  8,  1864 Todd's  Tavern,  Va. 

15.  May  10-11,  1864 West  of  Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  Va. 

16.  May  12,  1864 _ Spottsylvania  C.  H.  Va. 

17.  May  21,  1864 Guinea  Station,  Va. 

18.  May  23-26,  1864 Hanover  Junction,  Va. 

19.  May  29-31,  1864 Totopotomy  Creek,  Va. 

20.  June  2-12,  1864 Cold  Harbor,  Va. 

21.  June  13,  1864 Charles  City,  Va. 

22.  June  15,  1864 „ Petersburg,  Va. 

23.  July  27,  1864 _  Deep  Bottom,  Va. 

24.  Aug.  14-16,  1864 Deep  Bottom,  or  White's  Tavern,  Va. 

25.  Aug.  28,  1864 Ream's  Station,  Va. 

26.  Oct.  30,  1864 „ On  Hatcher's  Run,  Va. 

27.  Dec.  10,  1864 Hatcher's  Run,  Va. 

28.  Feb.  6,  1865 Dabney's  Mill,  Va. 

29.  April  2,  1865 Sutherland  Station,  Va. 

30.  April  5,  1865 Jettersville,  Va. 

31.  April  6,  1865 Sailor's  Creek,  Va. 

32.  April  7,  1865 Farmville,  Va. 

33.  April  9,  1865 Appomattox,  Va. 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  73 

2.— (a)    Casualties.— Killed  in  Action. 

1.  Thomas  C.  Hayes Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863 

2.  Thomas  J.  Carter "  "    "     " 

3.  Robert  W.  Hull 

4.  William  H.  Miller " 

5.  Jesse  M.  Sprowls 

6.  John  Maloy _ Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864 

7.  John  W.  Tucker "  "  "    "     " 

8.  Benjamin  H.  Cummins Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864 

9.  James  A.  Cummins "      "      " 

10.  Joseph  Guess "  "      "      " 

11.  John  Makeown "  "      "      " 

12.  Joseph  Smith  Graham Petersburg,  Va.,  March  25,  1865 


(b)  Died  in  Service. 

1.  John  Marshall,  Nov.  17,  1862,  in  Regimental  Hospital,  Parkton,  Md. 

2.  John  Henderson,  Dec.  7, 1862,  "          "  "  ic  " 

3.  Andrew  B.  Davis,  Dec.  9, 1862,  " 

4.  Isaac  Donaldson,  Feb.  14,  1863,  in  Reg.  Hosp.  Camp,  near  Falmouth,  Va. 

5.  Isaac  Golden,  April  15,  1863,  in  Hospital,  Mt.  Pleasant,  D.  C. 

6.  David  W.  Corbin,  April  21,  1863,  Stanton  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C. 

7.  William  L.  Pry,  from  wound,  May  21,  1863,  in  Camp  Hospital,  near  Fal- 

mouth,  Va. 

8.  George  Morrow,  May  25,  1863,  in  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C. 

9.  Robert  Virtue,  from  wound,  Sept.  9,  in  Hospital,  Baltimore,  Md, 

10.  Benjamin  F.  Earnest,  Dec.  14,  1863,  in  Camp,  near  Stevensburg,  Va. 

11.  Samuel  K.  Shindle,  March  17,  1864,  in  Andersonville  Prison,  Georgia. 

12.  Michael  Daugherty,   March  18,  1864,  from  kick  of  a  mule,  Brandy  Sta- 

tion,  Va. 

13.  Norris  Metcalf,  March  18,  1865,  at  home,  near  Bldersville,  Pa, 

14.  George  Sprowls,  May,  1865,  drowned  in  Chesapeake  Bay. 


(c)   Wounded. 

1.  Edward  S.  Alexander,  in  hand  and  arm,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

2.  Samuel  K.  Shindle,  and  taken  prisoner,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

3.  Silas  Cooke,  in  right  side,  Spottsylvania,  May  12, 1864. 

4.  William  R.  H.  Powelson,  in  both  hips,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

5.  William  Hanlin,  in  hand  and  leg,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

6.  Abram  Andrews,  slightly  in  side,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864. 

j  7.     Lazarus  Briggs,  slightly  in  back,  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

8.  George  Carter,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

9.  Jesse  M.  Carter,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

(  slightly  in  right  ankle,  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 
10.    Andrew  Chester,  •]  '      , 

(  severe  gunshot  in  leg,  Cold  Harbor,  June  6,  1864. 


74  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

11.  Isaac  Chisholm,  in  thigh.  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

12.  Joseph  Corbin,  in  leg,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

13.  Henry  Dickson,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

14.  Benjamin  F.  Earnest,  in  face  badly,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

15.  James  H.  Fordyce,  thumb  shot  off,  Deep  Bottom,  July  27,  1864. 

16.  George  A.  Hanlin,  in  ear,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

17.  Benjamin  F.  Hawthorn,  through  right  shoulder,  Spottsylvania,  May  12, 

1864. 

18.  George  W.  Johnson,  Petersburg,  June  15,  1864. 

19.  John  A.  McCalmont,  slight  in  foot,  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

20.  Owen  McElfish,  flesh  wound  in  leg,  Sailor's  Run,  April  6,  1865. 

21.  Robert  Meldon,  in  face  and  leg,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

22.  Isaac  Miller,  totally  disabled,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864. 

23.  Enoch  Mounts,  in  arm  and  breast,  Wilderness,  May  6,  1864. 

24.  Colin  Nickeson,  in  breast,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

25.  John  W.  Nickeson.  thumb  shot  off,  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

26.  Robert  A.  Pry,  left  foot,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864. 

27.  Wm.  L.  Pry,  finger  shot  off  accidentally,  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

28.  David  McC.  Pry,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

29.  William  M.  Rea,  in  ankle  severely,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864. 

30.  George  Sprowls,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

31.  William  Stollar,  through  both  thighs,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 

32.  Johnson  Toppin,  in  shoulder,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

33.  Robert  Virtue,  severely  in  breast,  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

(    slightly  at  Chancellorsville,   and  again  more  se- 

34.  Ulysses  S.  Wheeler,    •? 

I    verely,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1664. 

35.  Thomas  Wilkin,  in  hand,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864. 

36.  James  Worstell,  in  left  knee,  Todd's  Tavern,  May  8,  1864. 

87.  Marshall  Wright,  in  Adam's  apple,  Spottsylvania,  May  12,  1864. 


(d)    Prisoners. 

1.  2nd  Lieut.  Wm.  B.  Cook,  July  2,  1863.     Held  to  close  of  War. 

2.  Sergeant  Samuel  K.  Shindle,  July  2,  1963.     Held  till  death  in  Anderson- 

ville. 

3.  Isaac  Miller,  May  8,  1864,  Todd's  Tavern.     Held  over  a  month  and  paroled. 

4.  George  Sprowls,  May  12,  1864,  Spottsylvania.     Held  till  close  of  War. 

5.  1st  Sergt.  George  Ralston,  April  1,  1865,  Farmville.     Held  till  Lee's  sur 

render,  April  9,  1865. 

6.  Corpl.  John  McCalmont,  April  7,  1765.     Held  till  Lee's  surrender,  April 

9,  1865. 

7.  Corpl.  Abram  Andrews,  April  7,  1865.     Held  till  Lee's  surrender,  April 

9,  1865. 


I4QTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  75 

3 . — Promotions . 

Capt.  Wm.  A.  F.  Stockton,  Brevet  Major,  April  9,  1865. 

First  Lieut.  Alexander  Sweeney,  Brevet  Captain,  March  13,  1865. 

First  Sergt.  Benjamin  F.  Powelson,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  G.  31st  U.  S.  C.  T., 

Sept.  27,  1864. 

Thomas  L.  Noble,  Quartermaster  Sergeant  of  the  Regiment,  Nov.  28,  1862. 
John  A.  McCalmont,  3rd  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  death  of  Donaldson, 

Feb.  14,  1863. 
Joseph  Smith  Graham,  2nd  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  discharge  of  McCabe, 

Feb.  23,  1863. 
David  McC.  Pry,  6th  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  death  of  Wm.  L.  Pry,  May 

12,  1863. 
Corporal  Wm.  R.  H.  Powelson,  4th  Sergeant,  vacancy  caused  by  death  of  T.  C. 

Hayes,  July  2,  1863. 

James  K.  P.  Magill,  4th  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  promotion  of  Will  Powel 
son,  July  2,  1863. 
William  Porter,  7th  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  transfer  of  John  F.  Gardner, 

Dec.  17,  1863. 

James  K.  McCurdy,  Assistant  Surgeon,  153rd  Regt,  P.  V.,  Feb.  26,  1864. 
Corporal  Joseph  S.  Graham,  5th  Sergt.,  vacancy  caused  by  death  of  Shindle, 

March  1864. 
James  C.  Lyle,  2nd  Corporal;  vacancy  caused  by  promotion  of  Graham,  March 

17,  1864. 

James  L.  Noah,  Sergeant  in  Battery  Independent  Pa.  Artillery,  Spring  of  1864. 
Corporal  George  Ralston,  First  Sergeant,  vacancy  caused  by  promotion  of  B.  F. 

Powelson,  Sept.  27,  1864. 
George  A.  Hanlin,  5th  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  promotion  of  Ralston,  Sept. 

27,  1864. 

Ezra  Conway,  Wagonmaster  Wagon  Train,  latter  part  of  1864. 
Musician  Jesse  J.  Morris,  Drum  Major  and  on  Regimental  non-commissioned 

staff,  Dec.  22,  1864. 
Marshall   Wright,   6th   Corporal,   vacancy  caused  by  transfer  of  Dave  Pry, 

Feb.  6,  1865. 
Corporal   John   A.    McCalmont,    5th  Sergeant,    vacancy  caused  by  death    of 

Graham,  March  25,  1865. 

Abram  Andrews,  3rd  Corporal,  vacancy  caused  by  promotion  of  McCalmont, 
March  25,  1865. 


This  made  the  officers  at  close  of  war  to  be : 

Stockton,  Captain;  Sweeney,  First  Lieutenant;  Cook,  Second 
Lieutenant ;  Ralston,  First  Sergeant ;  Boyd,  Second  Sergeant ;  Alex 
ander,  Third  Sergant;  Will  Powelson,  Fourth  Sergeant;  McCal 
mont,  Fifth  Sergeant;  and  the  eight  Corporals  in  their  order:  i, 
Cooke ;  2,  J.  C.  Lyle ;  3,  Abram  Andrews ;  4,  Magill ;  5,  George  Han 
lin  ;  6,  Wright ;  7,  Porter ;  8,  Wm.  Hanlin. 


76  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

NOTE. — So  far  as  my  memory  serves  me  and  the  information 
given  me  goes,  Comrades  Berryhill,  Geary,  Magill,  Porter  and  Wm. 
Scott  were  practically  with  the  Company  in  all  the  leading  battles 
and  were  never  wounded.  Comrades  Johnson  and  Wilkin  can  have 
about  the  same  said  of  thejn,  save  that  they  received  slight  wounds. 
And  Comrades  Allison  and  McCalmont  missed  the  Deep  Bottom  and 
Ream's  Station  engagements. 

NOTE. — Mr.  Amos  Sprowls,  of  Liberty,  Neb.,  a  brother  of  Com 
rade  Geo.  Sprowls,  wrote  in  answer  to  inquiry  concerning  George 
that  he  was  wounded  and  made  prisoner  at  Spottsylvania,  May  12, 
164,  kept  in  hospital  at  Richmond  two  months;  thence  sent  to 
Andersonville  prison ;  thence,  owing  to  Sherman's  march  to  the  sea, 
sent  to  North  Carolina;  thence,  at  close  of  war,  sent  to  Fortress 
Monroe  to  be  conveyed  by  ship  to  Annapolis,  Md.  Three  transports 
were  loaded;  and  one  of  these,  the  "Governor,"  encountered  a 
storm  on  Chesapeake  Bay  and  sank  with  1,600  souls.  Sprowls  was 
among  them,  as  he  was  never  heard  of  afterwards.  A  Mr.  W.  S. 
Crafto,  living  near  Washington,  Pa.,  reported  seeing  him  on  his  way 
to  Fortress  Monroe. 


Supplementary   Statement. 


Since  forwarding  the  manuscript  for  publication,  one  of  our 
number  has  been  summoned  from  service  on  earth.  He  has  gone 
to  rest.  The  taps  have  been  sounded.  George  A.  Hanlin  died  sud 
denly  from  heart  disease,  Jan.  27,  1906,  2  145  p.  m.,  in  his  place  of 
business,  Clifton  street  and  West  38th  avenue,  Denver,  Colo.  He 
lacked  27  days  of  being  62  years  of  age.  The  funeral  services  were 
largely  attended,  being  conducted  Jan.  3Oth,  10 130  a.  m.,  in  the  un 
dertaker's  parlors  and  at  the  grave.  The  Crocker  G.  A.  R.  Post, 
Denver,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  and  the  Camp  of  the  Sons  of 
Veterans,  to  which  his  sons  belonged,  were  in  attendance;  and  he 
was  buried  in  the  full  honors  of  these  orders  in  Fairmount  ceme 
tery.  The  writer  delivered  a  short  address,  a  tribute  to  the  mem 
ory  of  a  faithful  soldier,  an  upright  citizen,  a  true  husband  and 
father,  an  industrious  and  successful  business  man,  and  one  beloved 
by  all. 


I40TH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS.  77 


Conclusion. 

Comrades  of  Company  K,  a  feeling  of  sadness  steals  over  me, 
as  now  I  am  about  to  lay  down  my  pen.  About  two  years  ago, 
upon  your  urgent  request,  yet  with  great  reluctance,  I  undertook  this 
work.  During  these  two  years  four  of  our  number  have  fallen  out 
of  ranks,  never  more  to  answer  to  roll  call  here.  How  forcibly  this 
reminds  us  that  we  are  all  hastening  to  the  last  earthly  roll  call !  By 
and  by,  and  "soon  'twill  be,"  the  last  one  of  us  must  fail  to  answer. 
It  behooves  us  to  be  true  and  faithful  to  the  end — to  ever  live  and 
act  that  in  the  Grand  Army  above,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  vic 
torious  leader,  we  may  have  comradship  unbroken  and  of  ever  in 
creasing  delight. 

And  now,  Comrades,  I  have  exhausted  my  resources  in  en 
deavor  to  serve  you  in  this  work  of  placing  in  historic  record  your 
deeds  of  heroism  and  works  of  patriotic  sacrifice  in  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion.  Possibly  I  have  been  too  plain,  conservative  and  modest 
in  the  language  used.  But  my  heart's  desire  in  it  all  has  been  to  be 
faithful  and  true  to  you — to  each  and  all  of  you.  If  I  had  not  been 
one  of  you,  I  might  have  indulged  in  superlatives  often.  Of  one 
thing  rest  assured,  the  verdict  of  the  reader  will  be,  "Nothing  is 
overstated." 

I  feel  that  I  have  imperfectly  sketched  your  part  in  the  saving 
of  the  nation.  Your  children  and  theirs  to  the  remotest  time  will 
ever  be  proud  of  it.  We  can  ever  emphasize  one  battle,  in  which  as 
a  Company  we  had  our  largest  experience;  and  in  which  we  reg 
istered  our  first  and  greatest  loss  in  "killed  in  action."  It  was  the 
decisive  battle  of  that  greatest  of  civil  conflicts — "rebellion  rising  to 
its  supremest  effort  and  falling  fatally  wounded."  Yes,  we  can  ever 
point  with  pride  to  our  "trial  in  the  fire"  at  Gettysburg.  And  we 
can  glory,  too,  in  the  magnificent  victory  won  by  the  2nd  Corps  at 
Spottsylvania.  Certainly  we  cannot  be  charged  with  undue  boast- 


78  HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K  OF  THE 

ing  if  we  do  glory  in  such  expressions  as  "brave  old  Co.  K !"  "The 
righting  i4Oth  Regiment  P.  V. !"  "The  old  reliable  2nd  Corps  I" 

We  together  followed  the  flag  of  our  country  in  march  and  bat 
tle  for  almost  three  years  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  till  "old  glory" 
was  triumphant.  And  we  certainly  share  in  the  honor  a  grateful 
nation  accords  to  its  defenders.  And,  surviving  comrades,  in  loving 
remembrances  of  our  dead,  with  our  hearts  full  of  gratitude  and 
praise,  we  do  feel  proud  of  what  we  did,  inasmuch,  while  the  years 
have  come  and  gone  since  we  laid  down  our  arms  and  again  took  our 
places  as  citizens,  we  have  seen  our  beloved  country,  more  precious 
in  the  immense  cost  of  its  preservation,  rise  to  an  unparalleled  degree 
of  success  and  prosperity.  And  while  we  rejoice  in  this,  let  us,  in 
taking  leave  of  each  other,  in  the  end  of  this  book  of  history,  pledge 
ourselves  and  our  posterity  to  continued  faithfulness,  to  unflinching 
devotion  to  our  nation,  even  unto  death. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

RENEWED  BOOKS  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  IMMEDIATE 
RECALL 


LIBRARY,  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  DAVIS 

Book  Slip-50m-8,'63(D9954s4)458 


Call  Number: 


,  ~.J. 

I  of  Company 

«7 

1   ."v-i-i- — inner 


K 


326526 


